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OF  THE 

»v«r- 1;4 


ENDYMION. 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN 

MYTHOLOGY. 

FOR  SCHOOLS. 

WITH  A SERIES  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


NEW  YORK: 

A.  S.  BARNES  & Co.,  Ill  & 113  WILLIAM  STREET, 

(CORNER  OF  JOHN  STREET.) 


1866  . 


CONTENTS 


Introduction, . . . 7 

Ancient  Deities*  19 

Modern,  Superior  Deities,  . • • . . 67 

Genii  and  Inferior  Deities,  • • • « 183 

Demi-gods  and  Heroes,  . • . . * • 211 

Mythic  Factions,  ...  . ...  294 


Entered  tccording  to  A<st  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1849,  by 
M.  A.  DWIGHT, 

In  the  Clerk’s  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Southern  District  of 
New  York. 


Stereotyped  by  C.  Davison, 
33  Gold  st.,  N.  Y. 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


1 knowledge  of  Mythology  is  of  so  much  importance 
in  connection  with  ancient  history,  that  the  subject  should 
be  made  a study  in  every  school.  To  render  it  accessible 
to  all,  this  work  is  offered  to  the  public  in  an  abridged 
form.  The  information  necessary  to  an  understanding  of 
the  character  and  attributes  of  each  deity  is  retained,  and 
the  more  general  treatment  omitted.  This  method  was 
adopted  on  the  supposition  that  at  the  recitations  of  his 
class,  the  teacher  would  have  the  larger  work  to  which  ha 
could  refer. 


488062 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS, 


ENGRAVED  ON  WOOD,  BY  J.  D.  FELTER. 


Page 

FRONTISPIECE, See  p.  139 

PAN, 23 

PARC.®, 26 

FURIES,  30 

HARPY, 38 

RIVER-GOD, 44 

JUPITER  AMMON 73 

JUPITER  PLUVIUS, 74 

JUNO, 81 

VESTA, * 84 

CYBELE, 92 

NEPTUNE, 96 

PLUTO. 98 

DEMETER, 112 

APOLLO  MUSAGETES, 130 

DIANA  TRIFORMIS, 139 

MINERVA, 152 


Pag* 


MINERVA’S  SHIELD, 155 

VULCAN, 162 

MERCURY, 179 

COUNCIL  OF  JUPITER, 181 

ONE  OF  THE  LARES, 188 

SILENOS, 193 

CLIO, . 201 

GANYMEDES, 203 

AESCULAPIUS, 205 

TELESPHOROS, 206 

PERSEUS, 213 

MEDUSA, 220 

BELLEROPIIONTES, 221 

HERCULES  AND  SERPENT, 226 

HERCULES  AND  CERBERUS, 234 

CASTOR  AND  POLLUX, 262 

CENT  AUK, SCJ 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  word  Mythology  is  compounded  of  two  Greek  words, 
Muthos,  a fable,  and  Logos,  a discourse ; and  signifies  a 
system  of  fables,  or  the  fabulous  history  of  the  false  gods 
of  the  heathen  world. 

Fable  is  divided  into  various  kinds  ; and  the  following  is 
an  example  of  the  instructive,  as  used  for  the  purpose  by  a 
famous  orator : When  Philip’s  son,  the  hereditary  enemy 

of  the  liberty  of  Greece,  demanded  eight  of  their  leading 
men  to  be  delivered  up  to  him,  as  the  great  impediment 
of  mutual  amity,  “ On  a time,”  said  Demosthenes  to  his 
fellow-citizens,  “ an  embassy  came  from  the  wolves  to  the 
sheep,  assuring  them  that  the  dogs  by  which  they  were 
attended  were  the  sole  occasion  of  the  war  ; wherefore,  if 
they  would  give  them  up,  all  would  be  well,  and  end  in 
lasting  peace.  The  sheep  were  persuaded,  gave  up  the  dogs, 
and  henceforth  the  wolves  devoured  them  at  pleasure.” 

A second  sort  is  political,  as  the  following : When 

Jupiter  heard  of  the  death  of  his  son  Sarpedon,  in  the 
rage  of  grief  he  called  Mercury,  the  messenger  of  the  gods, 
and  gave  him  orders  to  go  instantly  to  the  Fates,  and  bring 
from  them  the  strong  box  in  which  the  eternal  decrees 
were  laid  up.  Mercury  obeyed,  went  to  the  sisters,  and 
omitted  nothing  that  a wise  and  well-instructed  minister 
could  say  to  make  them  pacify  the  will  of  Jove.  The  sis- 
ters smiled,  and  told  him  that  the  other  end  of  the  golden 


8 


INTRODUCTION. 


chain  which  secured  the  box  with  the  unalterable  decrees, 
was  so  fixed  to  the  throne  of  Jove,  that  were  it  to  be 
unfastened,  his  master’s  seat  itself  might  tremble.” 

A third  sort  of  mythology  consists  in  a material  repre- 
sentation of  virtue  and  vice,  or  instruction  conveyed  by 
wood  and  stone,  instead  of  a tale.  Such  in  some  respects 
are  all  the  badges  and  ensigns  of  the  gods,  when  carved 
or  cast  in  metal ; — and  such  the  secret  symbols  delivered 
to  the  initiated  in  the  several  mysteries,  which  they  care- 
fully kept  from  vulgar  eyes,  showing  them  only  upon  cer- 
tain signs.  The  example  which  best  illustrates  this  mate- 
rial species  of  mythology,  contains  at  the  same  time  a beau- 
tiful moral : It  was  the  temple  of  Honor,  that  had  no 

entrance  of  its  own,  and  the  only  passage  to  it  was  through 
the  temple  of  Virtue.  Happy  the  man  who  truly  worships 
in  the  first,  even  if  the  ignorance  of  his  contemporaries 
prevent  him  from  entering  the  second ; he  will  yet,  sooner 
or  later,  possess  the  station  due  to  his  merit 

But  Mythology  is  a vast  and  various  compound  ; a laby- 
rinth through  which  no  one  thread  can  conduct  us  ; since 
all  the  powers  of  heaven  and  earth,  whatever  is,  whatever 
acts,  whatever  changes,  and  whatever  remains  the  same,  is, 
by  some  image  congruent  to  its  peculiar  nature,  variously 
painted  in  the  mimic  mirror  of  the  universe.  The  primary 
great  gods  represent  its  principal  parts  and  powers ; and 
the  numerous  inferior  train  exhibit  either  the  lesser  powers 
of  nature  or  their  influences ; or,  they  belong  to  human 
passions,  and  human  transactions  as  connected  with  them. 
The  rest  are  men  adopted  among  the  gods,  and  frequently 
blended  with  the  original  deities. 

The  course  of  time  since  the  commencement  of  the  world 
has  been  divided  into  three  periods ; the  unknown,  the 
fabulous,  and  the  historical,  which  may  be  considered  as 
the  origin  of  mythological  fables.  The  unknown  compre- 
hends all  that  space  which  the  ancients  supposed  to  have 


INTRODUCTION. 


9 


passed  since  the  beginning  of  things,  and  of  which  we  have 
no  knowledge.  In  their  opinion,  all  that  was  then  trans- 
acted  escaped  the  keenest  sight.  The  fabulous  began  with 
the  earliest  notices  of  things  ; that  is,  in  ancient  style,  with 
the  births  and  marriages  of  the  gods,  and  continued 
through  the  heroic  ages  until  records  and  history  intro- 
duced certainty  and  unfabled  truth.  Then  commenced 
the  historical  period,  which  preserves  its  evidence  to  the 
present  time. 

Instead  of  this  accurate  division,  the  early  poets  sang, 
that  Saturn  (by  whom  they  represent  time)  lurked  long 
out  of  sight  of  heaven,  and  likewise  devoured  his  own  pro- 
geny as  soon  as  they  were  born.  This  is  plainly  the  un- 
known period.  Jupiter,  Saturn’s  son,  together  with  Juno, 
Ceres,  Pluto,  Neptune,  and  Yesta,  were  produced  without 
his  knowledge,  and  preserved  against  his  will.  They  con 
spired  against  their  relentless  parent,  seized  and  bound 
him  with  a cord  of  wool  never  to  be  loosed,  while  almighty 
Jove  holds  the  reins  of  government.  Here  is  the  fabu- 
lous period  comprehending  the  birth  and  adventures  of 
the  gods,  and  the  historical  in  the  conclusion. 

Religion,  law,  and  philosophy  united,  were  first  taught 
to  mankind  in  the  form  of  fables  ; but  these  ancient  fables 
convey  no  such  ideas  to  the  modern  reader  44  The  most 
ancient  theology,”  says  Plutarch,  44  both  of  the  Greeks  and 
barbarians,  was  natural  philosophy  involved  in  fables,  that 
physically  and  mystically  conveyed  the  truth  to  the  learn- 
ed ; — as  appears  from  the  poems  of  Orpheus,  the  Egyptian 
rites,  and  the  Phrygian  traditions.”  A remark  which  it 
is  necessary  to  keep  in  mind,  in  order  to  distinguish  the 
pure,  primitive  doctrine  from  later  inventions  ; for  the  re- 
gions of  fable  are  wide  and  fertile,  resembling  Rabelais* 
iron  work  island,  where  swords  grew  from  the  trees,  and 
mushrooms  sprang  from  the  earth  so  exactly  under  them, 

1* 


10 


INTRODUCT  ZON. 


that  every  ripe  sword  fell  precisely  into  its  own  scabbard1 
without  missing  it  a hair’s  breadth. 

Nature  is  the  parent  of  real  mythology.  She  was  asso- 
ciated  with  philosophy  in  the  great  work  of  civilizing  the 
rude  tribes  of  the  early  ages.  Her  robe  of  triple  tissue, 
is  a monstrous  tale  of  feigned*  allegorical  personages  en- 
gaged in  action,  who  speak  and  act  so  much  in  character, 
as  at  once  to  represent  causes  and  narrate  transactions, 
which  by  striking  the  fancy  and  winning  the  heart,  con- 
vey instruction  agreeably  to  the  mind.  The  history  of  the 
creation,  or  rise  of  the  universe,  that  the  moderns  call  na- 
tural philosophy,  and  the  ancients  theogony,  or  the  genera- 
tion of  the  gods,  was  the  groundwork  of  the  fabric ; the 
powers  that  govern  the  world  furnished  the  figures,  and 
constitute  the  design;  while  the  human  character  (moral 
philosophy),  the  passions  of  men  as  they  glow  or  languish, 
become  tarnished  or  bloom  with  life,  gave  a gloss  and  color- 
ing to  the  whole.  But  this  system  of  pure,  primitive  my, 
thology  was  corrupted  as  soon  as  it  spread  beyond  the 
nations  with  whom  it  originated,  and  soon  became  blend- 
ed with  history,  and  historical  personages 

Structures  for  the  worship  of  heathen  deities  may  be 
considered  as  among  the  most  ancient  monuments  of  an- 
tiquity. As  soon  as  a nation  had  become  in  the  least 
degree  civilized,  they  took  care  to  appropriate  and  conse- 
crate particular  spots  to  the  worship  of  their  deities. 

In  the  earliest  instances,  they  were  contented  with  erect- 
ing altars  in  the  open  air,  either  of  earth  or  ashes,  and 
sometimes  resorted,  for  purposes  of  worship,  to  the  depths 
of  solitary  woods  At  length,  they  acquired  the  practice 
of  building  cells,  or  chapels,  within  the  enclosure  of  which 
they  placed  the  images  of  their  divinities,  and  there  assem- 
bled to  offer  their  supplications,  thanksgivings,  and  sacri 
fices.  These  places  of  worship  bore  some  resemblance  to 


INTRODUCTION. 


f 11 


their  own  dwellings.  The  Troglodites  adored  their  gods 
in  grottoes ; and  the  people  who  lived  in  cabins,  erected 
edifices,  the  form  of  which  was  more  or  less  assimilated  tc 
that  kind  of  habitation.  Herodotus  and  Strabo  contend 
that  the  Egyptians  first  erected  temples  to  the  gods ; 
and  the  first  one  erected  in  Greece,  is  attributed  by  Apol- 
lonius to  Deucalion.  Clemens  Alexandrinus  and  Eusebius 
refer  the  origin  of  temples  to  the  sepulchres  built  for  th* 
dead. 

According  to  Pausanias,  the  oracle  of  Delphi  in  remote 
ages  was  consulted  in  a kind  of  arbor  formed  of  laurels. 
That  of  Jupiter  at  Dodona,  at  a similar  era,  rendered  its 
oracles  by  an  old  oak,  as  we  learn  both  from  Pausanias 
and  Herodotus.  In  the  vicinity  of  Magnesia,  upon  the 
Meander,  was  a grotto  consecrated  to  Apollo,  wherein  was 
to  be  seen  a very  ancient  statue  of  that  god. 

The  first  statues  erected  for  the  ancient  gods  hardly 
deserve  the  name,  being  only  great  stones  set  on  end  ; gen- 
erally square,  sometimes  conical,  sometimes  pyramidal,  or 
semicircular,  and  frequently  quite  rough,  without  even  the 
touch  of  a tool.  The  oldest  statues  of  Mercury  were  origi- 
nally large  square  stones.  The  statue  of  the  mother  of 
the  gods,  brought  from  Phrygia,  was  a large  black  square 
stone. 

The  ancient  Phoenicians  had  an  image  of  the  sun,  which 
they  believed  not  to  have  been  formed  by  human  art,  but 
to  have  fallen  immediately  from  heaven.  It  was  a large 
black  stone,  round  and  broad  at  the  base,  but  diminishing 
by  degrees  towards  the  top,  and  terminating  in  a slender 
point.  The  Megareans  worshipped  a large  stone  in  the 
form  of  a pyramid,  under  the  name  of  Apollo.  Their  more 
elegant  neighbors,  the  Athenians,  worshipped  him  in  hu- 
man shape,  but  with  a head  long  and  sharp,  like  a pyramid, 
A small  globe  split  in  two,  and  one  of  the  halves  set  on 
a pole,  was  a symbol  adored  by  the  ancient  PeOnians. 


12 


INTRODUCTION. 


When  the  Greeks,  at  a subsequent  period,  surpassed  alj 
other  people  in  cultivating  the  arts,  they  devoted  much 
time,  care,  and  expense,  to  the  building  of  temples,  ren- 
dering them  in  every  way  worthy  of  their  destination.  In 
every  city  of  Greece,  as  well  as  its  environs,  and  in  the 
open  country,  was  a large  number  of  sacred  temples ; and 
the  most  costly  temple  of  each  place  was  especially  dedi- 
cated to  its  tutelary  deity.  Instances  of  this  are  found  in 
the  temple  of  Minerva  at  Athens,  that  of  Diana  at  Ephesus, 
of  Apollo  at  Delphi,  of  Jupiter  at  Olympia,  of  Venus  at 
Paphos  and  Cytherea  ; and  of  Jupiter  Capitolinus  at 
Rome.  At  Panionium,  was  a temple  of  Jupiter  Heliconius 
erected  by  the  Ionian  colonies,  and  imported  into  Attica 
from  Asia  Minor.  The  Dorian  colonies  of  Asia  Minor 
had  likewise  a common  sanctuary,  the  temple  of  Apollo 
Triopius.  Near  to  Mylassa  was  a temple  sacred  to  Jupiter 
Carius  and  common  to  the  Carians,  the  Lydians,  and  the 
Mysians.  In  the  territory  of  Stratonice  was  the  temple 
of  Jupiter  Chrysaoreus  belonging  to  the  Carians.  In  the^ 
immediate  vicinity  of  these  edifices,  the  people,  at  fixed 
seasons,  held  assemblies  for  the  purpose  of  sacrificing  to 
the  gods ; they  also  celebrated  their  fetes  on  the  same 
spot,  and  deliberated  respecting  the  affairs  of  the  entire 
nation. 

The  most  ancient  Greek  temples  were  very  small. 
The  cella  was  barely  large  enough  to  contain  the  statue  of 
the  presiding  deity  of  the  temple,  and  occasionally  an 
altar  in  addition.  Even  in  succeeding  ages,  when  the 
riches  and  power,  as  well  as  the  taste  and  skill  of  the  Gre- 
cian states  were  augmented,  they  were  not  built  on  a great 
scale ; for  their  object  did  not  render  extent  necessary, 
since  the  priests  alone  entered  the  cella,  and  the  people 
gathered  in  masses  outside  the  walls.  Exceptions  were 
made  in  those  dedicated  to  the  tutelary  divinities  of  towns* 
of  those  of  the  supreme  gods,  and  of  those  appropriated  to 


INTRODUCTION. 


13 


the  common  use  of  various  communities.  But  this  in- 
creased extent  was  chiefly  displayed  in  the  porticoes  sur- 
rounding the  cella.  and  was  again  enlarged  by  the  peribolos, 
Dr  enclosure  within  a wall,  which  separated  it  from  the 
adjoining  ground,  as  a sacred  place  appertaining  to  the 
temple.  This  enclosure  was  generally  adorned  with  a pro- 
fusion of  statues,  altars,  and  monuments.  Sometimes  it 
contained  other  smaller  temples,  or  even  a grove.  The 
elevation  and  retirement  of  these  Sacred  Enclosures,  gave 
additional  beauty,  dignity,  and  sanctity  to  the  temples  con- 
tained within  them. 

The  Grecian  temples  had,  for  the  most  part,  possessions 
of  their  own,  which  served  to  defray  the  expenses  incurred 
in  the  service  of  the  god.  These  possessions  consisted 
partly  in  votive  presents,  which  had  been  consecrated  (es- 
pecially where  the  divinities  of  health  and  prophecy  were 
adored)  by  the  hopes  or  the  gratitude  of  the  suppliants  for 
advice  or  counsel.  We  know  from  several  examples,  espe- 
cially from  that  of  the  temple  of  Delphi,  that  treasures  were 
there  accumulated,  of  more  value,  probably,  than  those  of 
Loretto,  or  any  other  shrine  in  Europe.  But  as  they  were 
sacred  to  the  gods,  and  did  not  come  into  circulation,  they 
were  for  the  most  part  unproductive  treasures,  possessing 
no  other  value  than  that  which  they  received  from  the  artist. 

The  Greeks  used  three  kinds  of  altars  in  their  mytho- 
logical worship ; one,  upon  which  they  burned  incense  and 
made  libations  ; another  served  for  their  sanguinary  sacri- 
fices ; and  the  third  received  their  burnt  offerings  and 
sacred  vases.  Originally,  they  were  made  of  heaps  of  earth, 
and  sometimes  of  ashes,  as  that  of  the  Olympian  Jupiter, 
mentioned  by  Pausanias.  There  was  also  an  altar  of  ashes 
at  Thebes,  consecrated  to  Apollo.  In  process  of  time,  they 
were  formed  of  brick  and  stones  ; such  was  the  material  of 
the  famous  altar  at  Delos.  They  were  at  first  erected  in 
groves,  in  the  highways,  and  streets,  as  well  as  upon  the 


14 


INTRODUCTION. 


tops  of  mountains  ; but  after  the  introduction  of  temples, 
they  were  of  course  transferred  to  those  edifices. 

The  form  of  altars,  as  well  as  their  height,  was  various 
among  the  ancients  : sometimes  a perfect  cube,  which  was 
the  most  common  among  the  Greeks ; at  others,  a paral- 
lelopipedon  ; sometimes  round,  at  others  octaugular,  trian- 
gular, &c.,  according  to  the  material  of  which  they  were 
formed ; and  from  some  ancient  medals  we  find’there  were 
altars  of  a circular  form.  Those  which  were  constructed  of 
metal,  were  generally  triangular  and  formed  like  a tripod  ; 
those  constructed  of  brick  or  stone  were  most!y  cubical, 
and  some  have  sculptured  bases  and  pedestals  like  can- 
delabra. According  to  Pausanias,  some  were  c instructed 
of  wood  ; but  by  far  the  greater  number  that  have  been 
preserved  to  our  times,  are  of  marble. 

On  solemn  festivals,  the  ancients  decorated  the  altars  of 
their  deities  with  leaves  or  the  branches  of  trees  that  were 
sacred  to  them  ; as  those  of  Minerva  with  the  olive  ; Venus 
with  the  myrtle  ; Apollo  with  the  laurel ; Pan  with  tho 
pine,  &c.  And  it  was  from  these  temporary  decorations, 
that  the  ancient  sculptors  drew  those  elegant  elements  of 
foliage,  which  embellish  the  altars  of  antiquity.  On  others, 
that  were  intended  for  their  sanguinary  oblations,  and  were 
hollowed  at  the  top  to  receive  the  blood  of  their  victims, 
and  the  offered  libations,  are  found  heads  and  sculls  of 
animals,  vases,  paterae,*  and  other  instruments ; also,  ves- 
sels of  sacrifice  mingled  with  garlands  of  flowers,  such  as 
were  used  to  bind  the  victims  ; also,  bands  and  other  sacri- 
ficial accessories.  When  inscriptions  were  added,  they  allu- 
ded to  the  epoch  of  their  consecration,  the  names  of  those 
who  erected  them,  the  motive  of  their  erection,  and  the 
name  of  the  deity  to  whose  honor  they  were  dedicated. 

Altars  as  well  as  temples  were  considered  so  sacred  by 


♦ Patera — A round  plate  or  saucer  used  at  the  sacrific#. 


INTRODUCTION. 


15 


the  ancient  Greeks,  that  most  of  them  had  the  privilege  of 
protecting  malefactors  and  debtors,  and  even  rebellious 
slaves  who  fled  to  them  for  refuge.  Plutarch  informs 
us,  that  those  who  killed  Cylon  and  his  followers,  when 
holding  by  the  altars,  were  afterwards  stigmatized  with 
the  epithets  impious  and  profane;  and  Justin,  in  his  his- 
tory, observes,  that  the  murder  of  Laodamia,  by  Milo,  who 
had  fled  to  the  altar  of  Diana  for  protection,  was  the  cause 
of  his  death,  and  of  the  public  calamities  of  iEolia.  In 
the  comedy  of  Mostellaria,  by  Plautus,  the  inviolability 
of  altars  and  temples  appears  to  have  existed  among  the 
Romans.  Every  temple,  however,  was  not  a sanctuary ; 
but  only  those  which  had  been  made  so  by  consecration. 
The  first  asylum  is  generally  supposed  to  have  been  found- 
ed at  Athens  by  the  Heraclidae,  but  some  writers  assert 
that  there  was  one  previously  erected  at  Thebes,  by  Cadmus. 

Independent  of  the  public  altars,  the  Greeks  and  Ro- 
mans had  private  or  domestic  altars,  which  were  dedicated 
to  the  lares  and  penates,  the  household  gods  of  the  ancients. 

All  the  nations  of  antiquity  were  at  some  period  of 
their  history  addicted  to  the  custom  of  offering  sacrifices 
to  the  deities  whom  they  worshipped.  The  origin  of  the 
practice  is  attributed  by  some  to  the  Phoenicians,  and  by 
others  to  the  Egyptians  ; while  Ovid  imagines,  from  the 
import  of  the  words  victim  and  hostia , that  no  bloody  sacri- 
fices were  offered  before  the  prevalence  of  wars,  when  na- 
tions became  victorious  over  their  enemies.  These,  how- 
ever, are  mere  hypotheses  not  borne  out  by  historical  re- 
search or  tradition,  and  are  entitled  to  little  regard. 

The  principal  sacrifices  among  the  Hebrews  consisted 
of  bullocks,  sheep,  and  goats  ; but  doves  and  turtles  were 
accepted  from  those  who  were  not  able  to  bring  these  ani- 
mals, which  were  to  be  perfect  and  without  blemish.  The 
rites  of  sacrificing  were  various.,  and  all  are  minutely  de- 
scribed in  the  books  of  Mosea 


16 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  manner  of  sacrificing  among  the  Greeks  and  Ro- 
mans was  as  follows.  In  the  choice  of  a victim  they  took 
care  that  it  was  without  blemish  or  imperfection,  and  the 
bull  was  to  be  one  that  had  never  been  yoked.  Having 
pitched  upon  a victim,  they  gilded  the  forehead  and  horns, 
especially  if  a bull,  heifer,  or  cow ; the  head  was  adorned 
with  a garland  of  flowers,  a woollen  infula,*  or  holy  fillet, 
from  which  hung  two  rows  of  chaplets  with  twisted  rib- 
bons ; on  the  middle  of  the  body  was  a kind  of  stole,  which 
hung  down  on  either  side  ; the  lesser  victims  were  also 
adorned  with  garlands,  and  bunches  of  flowers,  together 
with  white  tufts,  or  wreaths. 

The  victims  thus  prepared  were  brought  before  the  altar, 
the  lesser  being  driven  to  the  place,  and  the  greater  led 
by  a halter  ; if  they  made  any  struggle,  or  refused  to  go, 
the  resistance  was  considered  an  ill  omen,  and  the  sacrifice 
frequently  set  aside.  The  victim  thus  brought,  was  care- 
fully examined  to  see  that  it  was  without  defect ; then  the 
priest,  clad  in  his  sacerdotal  habit,  and  accompanied  by  the 
sacrificers  and  other  attendants,  and  being  washed  and 
purified  according  to  the  ceremonies  prescribed,  turned  to 
the  right  and  passed  round  the  altar,  sprinkling  it  with 
meal  and  holy  water,  and  also  sprinkling  those  who  were 
present.  The  crier  then  proclaimed,  with  a loud  voice, 
“Who  is  here?”  To  which  the  people  replied,  “ Many  and 
good.”  The  priest  then  having  exhorted  the  people  to  join 
with  him,  by  saying,  “Let  us  pray,”  confessed  his  own  un- 
worthiness, acknowledging  that  he  had  been  guilty  of 
divers  sins,  for  which  he  begged  pardon  of  the  gods,  and 


* Infula . — A flock  of  white  and  red  wool,  which  was  tightly  twisted, 
drawn  into  the  form  of  a wreath  or  fillet,  and  used  by  the  Romans  as  an 
ornament  on  festive  and  solemn  occasions.  In  sacrificing,  it  was  tied 
with  a white  band  to  the  head  of  the  victim,  and  also  of  the  priest, 
more  especially  in  the  worship  of  Apollo  and  Diana.  The  “ torta  infula 
was  worn  also  by  the  vestal  virgins. 


INTRODUCTION. 


17 


his  hope  that  they  would  be  pleased  to  grant  his  requests, 
accept  the  oblations  offered  them,  and  send  them  all  health 
and  happiness ; and  to  this  general  form,  the  priest  added 
petitions  for  such  particular  favors  as  were  then  desired. 
Prayers  being’  ended,  he  took  a cup  of  wine,  and  having 
tasted  it  himself,  caused  his  assistants  to  do  the  like ; and 
then  poured  forth  the  remainder  between  the  horns  of  the 
victim.  The  priest  or  the  crier,  and  sometimes  the  most 
honorable  person  in  the  company,  then  killed  the  beast  by 
knocking  it  down,  or  cutting  its  throat.  If  the  sacrifice 
was  in  honor  of  the  celestial  gods,  the  throat  was  turned 
up  towards  Heaven  ; but  if  they  sacrificed  to  the  heroes  or 
infernal  deities,  the  victim  was  killed  with  his  throat  to- 
wards the  ground.  If  by  accident  the  beast  escaped  the 
stroke,  leaped  up  after  it,  or  expired  with  pain  and  diffi- 
culty, it  was  thought  to  be  unacceptable  to  the  gods.  The 
victim  being  killed,  the  priest  inspected  its  entrails  and 
made  predictions  from  them.  They  then  poured  wine, 
together  with  frankincense,  into  the  fire  to  increase  the 
flame,  and  then  laid  the  sacrifice  on  the  altar,  which  in  the 
primitive  times  was  burnt  whole  to  the  gods,  and  thence 
called  a holocaust.;  but  in  after  times,  only  part  of  the  vic- 
tim was  consumed  in  the  fire,  and  the  remainder  reserved 
for  the  sacrificers  ; the  thighs,  and  sometimes  the  entrails 
were  burnt  to  their  honor,  and  the  company  feasted  upon 
the  rest.  During  the  ceremony,  the  priest  and  the  person 
who  gave  the  sacrifice  jointly  prayed,  laying  their  hands 
upon  the  altar.  Sometimes  musical  instruments  were 
played  during  the  time  of  sacrifice,  and  on  some  occa- 
sions, the  people  danced  around  the  altar  singing  sacred 
hymns  in  honor  of  the  gods. 

The  barbarous  practice  of  human  sacrifices  followed  that 
of  offering  brutes.  When  men  had  gone  so  far  as  to  in- 
dulge the  fancy  of  bribing  their  gods  by  sacrifice,  it  was 
natural  for  them  to  think  of  enhancing  the  value  of  so 


18 


INTRODUCTION. 


cheap  an  atonement  by  the  cost  and  variety  of  the  offer 
ing ; and  when  oppressed  with  suffering,  they  never  rested 
until  they  had  offered  what  they  conceived  to  be  the  most 
precious  of  all,  a human  sacrifice. 

The  Gauls  and  Germans  were  so  devoted' to  this  shock- 
ing custom,  that  no  business  of  any  moment  was  transacted 
among  them  without  being  prefaced  by  the  blood  of  men. 
They  were  offered  up  to  various  gods ; but  particularly  to 
Hesus,  Taranis,  and  Thautates.  These  deities  are  men- 
tioned by  Lucan,  where  he  enumerates  the  various  nations 
who  followed  the  fortunes  of  Caesar. 


PART  FIRST. 


ANCIENT  DEITIES. 


CHAOS. 

Chaos  ( void  space),  a heterogeneous  mass,  containing  all 
the  seeds  of  nature,  was  first,  according  to  Hesiod ; then 
came  into  being  the  broad-breasted  Earth,  the  gloomy  Tar* 
tarus,  and  Love. 

From  Chaos  were  produced  Earth,  Love,  Erebus,  Night, 
and  the  Universe. 


TERRA  OR  EARTH. 

Earth  was  one  of  the  most  ancient  oracles  and  deities  in 
mythology.  She  produced  the  mountains,  the  sea,  and  the 
heavens. 

Eros,  or  Love,  was  probably  understood  by  the  ancients 
to  be  that  attractive  principle  in  nature,  by  which  homoge- 
neous bodies  are  united  ; and  to  this  principle,  they  poeti- 
cally ascribe  the  attributes  of  reason  and  wisdom,  to  inti- 
mate, that  in  the  formation  of  the  world,  all  things  were 
constituted  by  harmonious  laws. 

According  to  some  mythologists,  Love  is  of  all  gods  the 
most  ancient,  and  is  said  to  have  existed  before  all  gene- 
rations. and  first  incited  Chaos  to  bring  forth  darkness,  out 
of  which  sprang  Ether  and  Day — and  also,  that  his  union 


20 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


with  Chaos  gave  birth  to  men,  the  animals  which  inhabit 
the  earth,  and  that  even  the  gods  themselves  were  the 
offspring  of  Love,  before  the  foundation  of  the  world. 

Among  the  ancients.  Love  was  worshipped  with  great 
solemnity,  and  as  his  influence  was  supposed  to  extend  over 
the  dead  as  well  as  the  living,  his  divinity  was  universally 
acknowledged,  and  vows,  prayers,  and  sacrifices,  were  offer- 
ed to  him. 

Erebus,  properly  speaking,  is  the  abode  of  Night ; in 
conjunction  with  which  he  produced  Day.  This  is  the  4 
commencement  of  mythological  fic.'ions; — the  opposite  ex- 
tremes of  things  are  brought  together ; — from  shapelessness 
and  deformity  arise  form  and  beauty,  and  light  is  made  to 
spring  out  of  darkness. 

Ancient  mythologists  and  poets  say,  that  the  various 
parts  of  which  the  wondrous  world  consists,  would  have 
lain  for  ever  in  the  abyss  of  being,  if  the  breath  of  the  tre- 
mendous Erebus,  the  spirit  that  dwells  in  eternal  darkness, 
had  not  gone  forth  and  put  the  mass  in  vital  agitation. 
Then,  the  congenial  parts  began  to  sever  from  their  hetero- 
geneous associates,  and  mingle  together.  Matter  appeared, 
and  inseparable  from  it,  attraction  ; different  degrees  of  pow- 
ers, and  all  active  principles  of  nature  continued  and  in- 
creased. 

Order,  Figurability,  Succession,  and  Retention,  were 
passive  in  the  genial  contest ; but  Intention  and  Aptitude 
mildiy  interfered,  and  begot  Providence  (or  foresight),  who, 
being  joined  with  his  bride,  Measure  (or  perfection ),  the 
daughter  of  Contemplation,  presided  over  the  forming 
world,  called  to  light  the  vegetable  and  animal  race,  and 
then  crowned  his  wondrous  work  with  the  formation  of  man. 

NOX  OR  NIGHT. 

Night  covers  and  conceals,  and  for  this  reason  she  is  made 

the  mother  of  the  horrible,  as  well  as  the  charming. 


NOX  OR  NIGHT. 


21 


From  uncreated  Night.  Daylight  arose,  by  which  all  for- 
mations are  developed,  and  all  creatures  enjoy  life.  She  is 
likewise,  according  to  some,  the  mother  of  the  inexorable 
Parcse,  of  the  avenging  Nemesis,  who  punishes  hidden 
crime  ; of  the  Furies,  who  torment  the  wicked  ; of  Charon, 
the  Ferry-man  of  Hell ; and  of  the  twin  brothers,  Sleep  and 
Death. 

Night  is  also  the  mother  of  Dreams  ; of  the  Hesperides, 
who  guard  the  golden  apples  ; — of  Deceit,  enveloping  him- 
self in  darkness ; — of  malicious  censure  ; — of  fretting  grief ; 
— of  trouble  and  hunger ; — of  destructive  war  ; — of  dupli- 
city of  speech ; — and  finally,  of  perjury.  Among  the 
children  of  night  are  comprised  all  those  things  which  she 
conceals  ; or  which  Fancy,  herself,  would  fain  cover  with 
nocturnal  darkness.  In  night,  there  is  something  of  which 
even  the  gods  stood  in  awe : for  Homer  says,  “ When  Jupi- 
ter was  angry  at  the  god  of  sleep,  Night  covered  him  with 
her  veil,  and  the  thunderer  restrained  his  wrath,  fearing 
to  offend  swift  Night.” — (II.  xiv.  256.) 

The  nightly,  mysterious  darkness,  in  which  something 
hidden  exercises  superior  power  and  influence  over  gods 
and  men,  was  not  clear  to  the  conception  of  the  ancient 
poets.  They  understood  not  the  supreme,  over-ruling 
power,  before  which  all  other  powers  vanish  ; but  believed 
in  the  hidden  rule  and  authority  that  were  apparent  in  the 
many  miseries  which  mingled  with  the  happiness  of  mor- 
tals. And  as  danger,  fear,  and  mystery,  have  their  attrac- 
tions, as  well  as  light,  peace,  and  security,  they  delighted 
in  the  representations  of  dreadful  events  and  wasting  de- 
struction, allowing  their  imaginations  to  stray  far  away 
into  the  dominion  of  night  and  the  world  of  shadows. 

-\  Night  was  considered  among  the  ancients  as  one  of 
their  oldest  divinities,  and  was  worshipped  by  them  with 
great  solemnity  In  the  temple  of  Diana,  at  Ephesus,  was 
a famous  statue  of  her,  to  whom,  as  the  mother  of  the  Fu* 


22 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


ries,  black  sheep  were  offered  in  sacrifice  ; and  also  a cock, 
as  that  bird  proclaims  the  approach  of  Day,  during  the 
darkness  of  Night. 

On  antique  gems  we  find  Night  represented  in  a female 
figure  of  youthful  beauty  ; either  holdiug  in  her  arms  two 
handsome  boys,  Death  holding  an  extinguished  torch  in  his 
hand,  and  Sleep  with  the  stem  of  a poppy  ; or  sitting  be- 
neath a shady  tree,  distributing  poppies  to  Morpheus  and 
his  brothers.  Morpheus,  the  son  of  sleep  and  the  god  of 
dreams,  stands  before  her  in  youthful  beauty,  receiving  the 
poppy  from  her  hands,  while  his  brothers  are  behind  her, 
bent  to  the  ground  gathering  the  falling  leaves. 

It  appears  from  these  representations,  poetical,  as  well  as 
plastic,  how  carefully  the  ancients  endeavored  to  transform 
gloom  and  terror  into  soothing  images.  And,  on  the  other 
hand,  what  a high  conception  of  tragical  subjects,  consider- 
ing the  night  born,  inevitable  Fate,  as  the  power  that  rules 
over  gods  and  men,  and  whose  old  dominion  and  concealed 
future,  lie  far  beyond  the  penetration  of  human  knowledge 
and  foresight. 

PAN. 

Various  origins  have  been  given  to  Pan  (dr  the  Uni- 
verse), one  of  which  is,  that  he  sprang  from  Chaos  ; that  is 
to  say,  Chaos  contained  the  seeds  of  all  things". 

Among  the  most  learned  of  the  ancients,  Pan  was  con- 
sidered as  one  of  the  oldest  divinities  ; and,  according  to 
the  Egyptians,  and  the  most  learned  of  the  Grecian  sages, 
he  had  neither  father  nor  mother,  but  sprang  from  Derno- 
gorgon  (the  genius  of  the  earth)  at  the  same  instant  with 
the  fatal  Parcse.  A beautiful  way  of  saying  that  the  uni- 
verse derived  its  origin  from  a power  unknown  to  them, 
and  was  formed  according  to  the  unalterable  relations,  and 
eternal  aptitude  of  things,  as  were  the  Fates,  daughters  of 
Necessity. 


PAN. 


23 


The  figure  of  Pan  represents  the  universe,  and  is  a de- 
lineation of  nature  and  the  rough  face  which  it  first  wore, 
while  his  spotted  robe  of  a leopard’s  skin  represents  the 
starry  heavens.  His  person  is  a compound  of  various  and 
opposite  parts,  rational  and  irrational,  a man  and  a goat ; 
so  is  the  world  ; — an  all-governing  mind  and  heterogene- 
ous, prolific  elements  pervade  and  constitute  it. 

^ Pan’s  symbol  of  the  pipes  is  most  eloquently  expressive 
of  nature’s  divine,  harmonious  constitution,  and  of  the 
order  and  measure  that  govern  all  her  works,  producing 
that  solemn  movement  called  the  music  of  the  spheres ; 
imperceptible  indeed  to  our  material  organ,  but  so  delight- 
ful and  pleasing  to  the  ear  of  the  mind.  This  wondrous 


24 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


reed  on  which  he  incessantly  plays,  is  composed  of  seven 
pipes,  unequal  among  themselves,  but  fitted  together  in  such 
just  proportion  as  to  produce  the  most  unerring  and  melo- 
dious notes,  calling  forth  the  echo,  which  poets  have  made 
the  object  of  his  love. 

The  worship  and  the  different  functions  of  Pan,  were 
derived  from  the  mythology  of  the  Egyptians.  This  deity 
was  one  of  the  eight  great  gods  that  they  worshipped, 
ranking  before  the  other  gods,  which  the  Romans  called 
Consentes.  They  regarded  him  as  the  emblem  of  fecundity, 
and  the  principle  of  all  things;  therefore  the  Greeks  gave 
him  the  appellation  of  Pan.  He  was  worshipped  with  great 
solemnity  at  Mendes. 

By  the  Arcadians  he  was  venerated  as  the  chief  of  the 
rural  deities.  Herdsmen  and  shepherds  are  said  to  have 
dreaded  the  sight  of  Pan,  yet  they  regarded  him  as  the 
tutelary  deity  of  themselves,  and  of  their  flocks  and  herds, 
and  brought  him  frequent  offerings  of  milk  and  honey. 
Sacrifices  were  offered  to  him  in  a deep  cave  in  the  midst 
of  a wood.  The  Athenians  had  a statue  of  him  like  that 
of  Mars,  and  in  some  antique  gems  and  sculptures  his  figure 
is  nearly  as  formidable  as  that  of  the  Medusa. 

At  Rome,  there  was  a yearly  festival  celebrated  in  honor 
of  Lupercus,  or  the  Grecian  Pan,  with  whom  he  was  iden- 
tified. This  celebration  took  place  on  the  15th  of  Feb- 
ruary, and  was  called  Lupercalia.  The  priests  who  offi- 
ciated, and  who  were  dedicated  to  the  service  of  Pan,  were 
called  Luperci.  This  order  of  priests  was  the  most  ancient 
and  respectable  of  all  the  sacerdotal  offices.  It  was  divided 
into  two  separate  colleges,  called  Fabiani  and  Quintiliani, 
from  Fabius  and  Quintilius,  two  of  the  high  priests.  The 
former  were  instituted  in  honor  of  Romulus,  and  the  latter 
of  Remus. 

A goat  was  sacrificed  to  Pan,  to  which  a dog  was  added 
because  as  god  of  shepherds  he  protected  the  sheepfold 


PARCvE  OR  FATES. 


25 


from  the  devouring  wolf.  The  priests  touched  with  a 
bloody  knife  the  foreheads  of  two  illustrious  youths,  who 
were  obliged  to  smile  during  the  ceremony ; the  blood  was 
then  wiped  off  with  a bit  of  wool  dipped  in  milk.  After 
this,  the  skins  of  the  victims  were  cut  into  thongs,  with 
which  whips  were  made  for  the  youths,  who  ran  about  the 
streets,  using  them  freely  on  all  whom  they  met. 

According  to  Baronius,  Pope  Gelasius  abolished  the 
Lupercalia  in  the  year  469  of  the  Christian  era. 

PARC.E  OR  FATES. 

The  Parcse  were  daughters  of  Night,  or  an  invisible, 
overruling  power.  According  to  some,  the  daughters  of 
Necessity,  or  the  necessary  connection  of  things — by  which 
is  meant  the  Creator’s  eternal  and  immovable  essence,  to 
which  the  fable  of  her  daughters,  and  their  fatal  spindle 
plainly  points. 

This  necessary  connection  of  things,  or  necessity  itself, 
called  by  the  Greeks  Moira  and  Heimarmene,  and  by  the 
Bomans  Fatum,  was  that  mysterious  power,  which,  with  in- 
visible sceptre,  ruled  over  gods  and  men.  The  inexorable 
Parcae  were  the  attendants  of  this  unknown  being,  and  pre- 
sided chiefly  over  the  life  and  fate  of  mortal  men. 

They  were  three  in  number,  according  to  the  triple  divi- 
sion of  time  into  past,  present,  and  future.  Their  ever- 
running  thread  is  partly  spun  and  wound  up,  partly  just 
drawn  out  and  twisting,  and  partly  as  yet  on  the  distaff. 
Clotho  holds  the  distaff,  and  is  ever  furnishing  the  present ; 
Lachesis  (allotment)  spinning  the  thread  of  life,  lays  out 
the  future ; and  Atropos  (irreversion)  with  the  fatal  scis- 
sors cuts  it  off,  severing  the  past ; so  that  the  grand  trans- 
action of  time  is  not  badly  represented  in  the  fable.  But 
as  Plato  has  nobly  said,  66  All  this  is  nothing  but  God  him- 
self, who,  according  to  the  ancient  tradition,  having  the 
beginning,  middle,  and  end  of  all  things  in  his  power, 

2 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


keeps  one  straight,  steady  course  according  to  nature,  with 
his  inseparable  adherent,  Justice,  who  is  ever  ready  to 
avenge  the  least  deviation  from  his  divine  law.” 

Although  the  Parcae  signify  that  terrific  power  which 
governs  as  it  were  from  the  dark,  whose  decrees  are  passed 
as  soon  as  conceived,  and  against  which  there  is  no  resist- 
ance, yet,  they  are  represented  as  beautiful  females,  spin- 
ning, and  joining  at  the  same  time  in  the  song  of  the 
Sirens.  In  high  and  unlimited  power,  all  things  are  easily 
accomplished  ; and  the  resistance  even  of  the  mighty  finds 
in  this  height  its  termination.  To  prescribe  bounds  to  all 
revolutions,  only  the  slightest  touch  of  the  fingers  is  re- 
quisite, and  to  manage  the  mysterious  course  of  events  is 
made  the  easiest  work  of  a female  hand.  This  beautiful 
representation  of  the  thread  of  life,  delicately  spun  and 
easily  severed,  cannot  be  equalled  by  any  other.  The 
thread  does  not  break,  but  is  cut  off ; and  the  cause  of  this 


PARC.®  or  fates. 


27 


lies  in  a superior  power,  which  has  already  firmly  and 
irrevocably  disposed  of  what  gods  and  men  still  strive  to 
accomplish  in  their  own  way. 

Ancient  representations  of  the  Parcae  by  the  hand  of  art 
are  seldom  found.  Upon  the  gems  which  antiquity  has 
left  us,  Lachesis,  who  spins  the  thread  of  life,  and  is  some- 
times called  the  handsome  daughter  of  Necessity,  is  repre- 
sented in  youthful  beauty,  seated,  and  spinning,  having 
one  distaff  before  and  another  behind  her,  and  at  her  feet 
lie  a comic  and  tragic  mask.  These  masks  are  among  the 
happiest  allusions  to  human  life,  if  we  behold  it  with  all 
its  serious  and  comic  scenes.  Unaffected  by  either,  she 
cannot  be  diverted  from  her  purpose  ; but,  during  their 
course,  the  tender  and  delicate  finger  of  the  goddess  never 
ceases  to  turn  the  fatal  thread. 

Another  gem  shows  Lachesis  leaning  against  a pillar  in 
a quiet  posture,  carelessly  holding  a distaff  in  her  left 
hand,  and  playing  as  it  were  with  the  thread  of  destiny. 
This  quiet  attitude  in  which  the  sublime  goddess  of  des- 
tiny looks  down  upon  the  far  extended  designs  of  men,  is 
an  extremely  beautiful  idea  of  the  ancient  artist.  For 
while  gods  exert  all  their  power,  and  mortals  all  theii 
strength  to  bring  their  plans  and  views  to  bear,  this  god- 
dess, smiling,  playfully  holds  the  thread  on  which  depend 
the  limits  of  all  things,  even  the  proudest  projects  of  god? 
and  men. 

Jn  vain,  for  instance,  does  Jupiter  endeavor  to  preserve 
the  life  of  his  son,  Sarpedon,  in  the  battle  of  Troy,  against 
the  will  of  Fate.  “Wo ’s  me,”  he  exclaims,  t£  that  my  sont 
Sarpedon,  must  fall  under  the  hand  of  Patroclos,  according 
to  the  doom  of  Fate.”  And  although  he  would  gladly  res- 
cue his  son,  yet  his  power  must  yield  before  that  of  the 
inexorable  goddess.  Nothing  is  left  to  his  own  will,  but 
to  deliver  the  body  to  his  messengers,  Death  and  sweet 


28 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


Sleep,  who  carry  it  to  his  native  land,  where  the  friends 
and  relatives  may  weep  over  it.  (II.  xvi.  434.) 

In  the  same  manner  Ulysses  was  doomed  by  destiny  to 
wander  ten  years  over  foreign  seas  and  countries,  and  at 
last  to  reach  home  without  his  companions.  And  in  the 
history  of  his  wanderings  it  may  be  seen,  that  where  cir- 
cumstances appear  to  afford  the  greatest  pleasure,  happi- 
ness, and  security,  there  the  greatest  dangers  lie  concealed. 
As,  for  instance,  in  the  quiet  harbor  of  the  Lestrigons,  on 
occasion  of  the  song  of  the  Sirens,  and  in  that  of  Circe’s 
magic  cup. 

It  is  the  history  of  human  life  in  general.  However 
near  at  hand  Ulysses  beholds  the  accomplishment  of  his 
wishes,  all  recedes ; his  tears  and  fervent  prayers  are  in 
vain,  until  it  is  the  will  of  Destiny  that  he  shall  again 
find  his  home,  and  he  reaches  his  native  island — sleeping. 

The  worship  of  the  Parcae  was  well  established  in  some 
cities  in  Greece,  and  though  mankind  were  convinced  that 
they  were  inexorable,  and  that  it  was  impossible  to  mitigate 
their  will,  yet  they  wished  to  show  a proper  homage  to 
their  divine  power  by  raising  to  them  temples  and  sta- 
tues. They  received  the  same  worship  as  the  Furies,  and 
their  votaries  yearly  sacrificed  to  them  black  sheep  ; during 
which  ceremony  the  priests  were  obliged  to  wear  garlands 
and  flowers. 

NEMESIS. 

Nemesis,  like  the  Parcae,  was  the  daughter  of  Night. 
Her  office  was  to  baffle  pride  and  haughtiness,  and  to 
punish  secret  vice.  She  presided  over  the  distribution  of 
retributive  justice,  and  her  vengeance,  if  once  provoked, 
was  sure  to  fall  on  the  offender  at  last,  however  long  de- 
layed In  this  fable  is  plainly  seen  the  idea  of  retributive 
justice,  which,  though  slow  in  its  course,  never  fails,  sooner 
or  later,  to  overtake  the  wicked,  who  must  inevitably  suffer 


THE  ERINNYES  OR  FURIES. 


29 


fche  consequences  of  their  own  wrong-doing.  As  a person- 
ification  of  the  moral  reverence  for  law,  of  the  natural  fear 
of  committing  a guilty  action,  and  hence  of  conscience,  she 
is  mentioned  in  Hesiod’s  Theogony  in  connection  with 
Shame. 

Having  belonged  with  the  original  deities,  those  myste- 
rious beings  who  were  regarded  with  awe  and  veneration 
by  gods  as  well  as ‘men,  she  is  allowed  the  same  rank  among 
the  modern  heathen  deities,  and  was  particularly  worship- 
ped at  Rhamnus  in  Attica,  where  she  had  a celebrated 
statue. 

The  Greeks  celebrated  a festival  in  memory  of  their  de- 
ceased friends,  called  Nemesia — as  the  goddess  Nemesi3 
was  supposed  to  preserve  the  memory  and  relics  of  the 
dead  from  insult. 

The  Romans,  also,  were  particularly  attentive  to  the 
worship  of  Nemesis,  whom  they  solemnly  invoked,  and  to 
whom  they  offered  sacrifices  before  declaring  war  against 
their  enemies,  to  prove  to  the  world  that  they  did  not  act 
without  the  most  just  occasion.  Her  statue  at  Rome  was  in 
the  Capitol. 

THE  ERINNYES  OR  FURIES. 

The  Erinnyes  were  originally  a personification  of  the 
curses  pronounced  upon  a guilty  criminal.  In  this  sense 
the  word  Erinnys  is  often  used  in  the  Homeric  poems 
and  the  poet,  conceiving  them  as  distinct  beings,  considered 
them  as  among  the  inhabitants  of  Erebus,  whence  they 
were  called  to  life  and  activity,  when  some  curse  is  pro 
nounced  upon  the  guilty. 

The  crimes  which  they  are  represented  as  punishing 
are,  disobedience  to  parents,  violation  of  the  respect  due 
to  old  age,  violation  of  the  laws  of  hospitality,  and  impro 
per  conduct  towards  suppliants.  As  ministers  of  the  ven 

geance  of  the  gods,  they  were  stern  and  inexorable.  Upon 


30 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


earth  they  were  employed  to  inflict 
vengeance  by  wars,  pestilences,  and 
dissensions,  and  by  the  secret  stings 
of  conscience  ; and  in  hell  they  pun- 
ished the  guilty  by  continual  fla- 
gellations and  torments.  Gradu- 
ally they  assumed  the  character  of 
goddesses  who  punished  crime  after 
death,  and  seldom  appeared  on 
earth. 

Neither  Homer  nor  the  Greek 
tragedians  designate  the  Erinnyes 
by  any  particular  names  but  the 
later  poets  make  them  three  in  num- 
ber, viz.  : Tisiphone,  the  avenger 
of  murder  ; Megaera,  the  wrathful ; 
and  Alecto,  the  restless  ; and  so  great  was  the  awe  in  which 
men  stood  of  these  inexorable  sisters,  that  they  scarcely 
ventured  to  mention  their  names,  or  fix  their  eyes  upon  the 
temples  dedicated  to  the  Furies.  They  had  a temple  in 
Achaia,  which  no  one  guilty  of  crime  could  enter  without 
being  suddenly  deprived  of  reason  and  made  furious  ; and 
whoever  was  conscious  of  having  secretly  perpetrated  an 
unlawful  action,  endeavored  to  propitiate  the  Furies  by 
prayers  and  offerings. 

Their  temple  at  Athens  was  near  the  Areiopagos,  and 
few  even  of  the  superior  deities  received  so  much  homage 
as  the  three  avenging  sisters ; and  their  priests  formed  a 
tribunal  before  which  no  one  dared  to  appear,  until  he  had 
sworn  upon  the  altar  of  the  Eumenides  to  tell  nothing  but 
the  truth. 

Their  worship  was  almost  universal ; and  in  their  sacri- 
fices the  votaries  used  branches  of  cedar  and  of  alder,  haw- 
thorn, saffron,  and  juniper.  The  victims  were  generally  tur- 
tle doves  and  black  sheep,  with  libations  of  wine  and  honey. 


THE  HESPERIDES. 


31 


They  were  represented  with  snakes  around  their  heads 
instead  of  hair,  and  wearing  funereal  robes  fastened  with 
girdles  formed  of  snakes  and  scorpions.  With  one  hand 
they  grasp  a dagger  with  whips  of  serpents  and  scorpions ; 
in  the  other  is  held  a flaming  torch  : and  thus  they  are 
represented  as  pursuing  the  perpetrators  of  crime  and 
wickedness.  The  Grecian  artists,  however,  frequently 
represented  the  Furies  as  young  and  beautiful ; sometimes 
with,  and  sometimes  without  serpents  around  their  heads. 

The  Furies  were  also  called  Eumenides ; but  the  term 
Eumenides,  that  is,  the  kindly  disposed  goddesses,  is  applied 
to  them  by  a euphemism,  or  antiphrasis. 

Helicon  was  consecrated  to  the  Muses ; but  Cithaeron 
was  the  mountain  of  the  Erinnyes,  and  rang  with  the  fran- 
tic yells  of  the  wildest  nocturnal  orgies  of  Bacchanalian 
revelry.  The  aspect  of  Cithaeron  is  the  reverse  of  that  of 
Helicon  ; it  is  savage,  cold,  gloomy,  and  inhospitable.  All 
the  mythological  traditions  connected  with  it,  partake  of 
the  physical  sternness  which  characterizes  the  mountain 
itself. 

THE  HESPERIDES. 

The  Hesperides  are  called  daughters  of  Night,  that  is  to 
say  their  origin  and  existence  are  veiled  in  darkness.  Their 
names  were  JEgle,  Erytheia,  and  Arethusa ; — and  they 
were  appointed  to  guard  the  golden  apples,  which  were 
the  gift  of  Earth  to  Juno  on  her  wedding  day. 

The  celebrated  gardens  of  the  Hesperides  abounded  with 
fruits  of  the  most  delicious  kinds,  and  were  carefully  guard- 
ed by  a dreadful  dragon,  which  never  slept.  By  Hesiod, 
these  gardens  were  placed  beyond  the  Atlantic  Ocean  in 
the  dusky  horizon  of  the  west,  where  they  rested  upon  the 
shoulders  of  Atlas.  By  geographical  writers  they  are 
placed  near  the  ancient  Berenice,  now  Bengazi  in  Gyre- 
na'ica  on  the  Mediterranean  coast  of  Africa. 


32 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY, 


MORS  OR  DEATH. 

Mors,  born  of  Night  and  without  a father,  was  one  of 
the  infernal  deities.  By  the  ancients  she  was  worshipped 
with  great  solemnity,  and  was  represented  by  them,  not  as 
an  actually  existing  power,  but  as  an  imaginary  being. 

The  face  of  Mors,  when  they  gave  her  any  face,  seems 
to  have  been  of  a pale,  wan,  dead  color.  The  poets  describe 
her  as  ravenous,  treacherous,  and  furious,  and  as  roving 
aDout  open-mouthed  and  ready  to  swallow  up  all  who  came 
in  her  way.  They  give  her  black  robes  and  dark  wings  ; 
and  often  make  her  of  a colossal  stature.  From  the  epi- 
thets pallida  and  lucida , pale  and  wan,  she  must  have  been 
represented  with  a pale  face  and  meagre  body,  instead  of 
the  bare  skull  and  skeleton  of  some  modern  painters. 

The  description  of  Death  by  the  ancients  was  more 
frightful  and  dismal  than  that  of  modern  artists  and  poets. 
They  describe  her  as  thundering  at  the  doors  of  mortals 
to  demand  the  debt  they  owe  her.  Sometimes  as  approach- 
ing their  bedsides  ; and  sometimes  pursuing  her  prey  ; or 
as  hovering  in  the  air,  and  ready  to  seize  it. 

Death  is  sometimes  represented  as  a skeleton,  wearing 
a black  robe,  covered  with  stars,  and  having  wings  of  an 
enormous  length'  and  her  fleshless  arms  supporting  a 
scythe.  No  temples  were  dedicated  to  her,  and  no  sacrifices 
offered,  because  Death  is  inexorable,  inaccessible  to  en- 
treaties, and  unmoved  by  prayers  and  offerings. 

SOMNUS. 

Somnus,  the  son  of  Night,  presided  over  sleep.  Accord- 
ing to  some  mythologists,  his  palace  was  a dark  cave,  where 
the  sun  never  penetrates  ; at  the  entrance  are  a number  of 
poppies  and  somniferous  herbs.  Yirgil  places  him  in  the 
entrance  to  the  infernal  shades,  on  account  of  his  relation 
to  Lethe ; but  Ovid  and  Statius  ^ive  him  a place  on  our 
Earth. 


MORPHEUS. 


33 


The  God  of  Sleep  is  represented  as  a child  stretched  on 
a couch  in  a profound  slumber,  holding  in  his  hand  a 
bunch  of  poppies,  which  serve  also  for  a pillow.  The 
Dreams  stand  by  him  ; and  Morpheus,  as  his  attendant 
watches  to  prevent  the  disturbance  of  his  repose.  Some 
times  his  head  rests  upon  a lion’s  skin  and  sometimes  on  a 
lion,  with  one  arm  either  a little  over  or  under  his  head, 
and  the  other  hanging  carelessly  by  the  side  of  the  couch, 
having  placed  in  it  poppies,  or  a horn  full  of  poppy  juice. 

He  is  often  winged;  and  so  like  Cupid  as  to  be  fre- 
quently mistaken  for  him,  notwithstanding  the  lizard  at  his 
feet,  the  proper  attribute  of  Somnus,  as  it  sleeps  during 
half  the  year.  The  lizard  is  not  mentioned  by  the  poets, 
and  may  have  been  used  by  artists  merely  for  the  sake  of 
distinction,  though  the  poppy  seems  sufficient  for  the  pur 
pose,  except  in  some  few  pieces,  where  the  distinguishing 
attributes  of  both  are  blended  together.  In  that  case,  it 
may  be  intended  to  represent  Cupids  under  the  character 
of  Somnus. 

Poets  speak  often  of  the  wings  of  Somnus  and  of  their 
being  black,  as  most  proper  for  the  god  who  chiefly  rules 
at  night.  For  the  same  reason,  the  figures  of  him  are  of 
ebony,  basalt,  or  dark-colored  marble. 

MORPHEUS. 

Morpheus,  the  God  of  Dreams  arid  son  of  Night,  can 
assume  any  shape  at  pleasure,  presenting  dreams  to  those 
who  sleep.  To  the  palace  of  Somnus  there  are  said  to  b 
two  gates,  one  of  ivory  and  the  other  of  horn,  out  of  which 
dreams  pass  and  repass — the  false  through  the  ivory,  the 
true  through  the  transparent  horn. 

Morpheus  is  sometimes  represented  as  a man  advanced 
in  years,  with  two  large  wings  on  his  shoulders,  and  two 
email  ones  attached  to  his  head. 

2* 


34 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


JViOMUS. 

Mornus  (Mockery),  a son  of  Night,  was  the  god  of  raillery 
and  repartee  ; at  the  feasts  of  the  gods  he  played  the  buf- 
foon. His  office  was  to  reprove  the  faults  of  the  gods,  which 
be  did  in  so  sarcastic  a manner  as  to  put  himself  out  of 
favor.  He  blamed  Vulcan,  because  in  the  human  form 
which  he  made  of  clay,  he  had  not  placed  a window  in  the 
breast,  by  which  whatever  was  done  or  thought  there  might 
easily  be  brought  to  light.  He  censured  the  house  made 
by  Minerva,  because  it  was  not  movable,  by  which  means 
a bad  neighborhood  might  be  avoided.  Of  the  bull  which 
Neptune  made,  he  observed,  that  the  blows  might  have 
been  surer,  if  the  eyes  were  nearer  the  horns.  Venus 
herself  was  exposed  to  his  satire  ; and  when  the  sneering 
god  could  find  no  fault  in  the  figure  of  the  goddess,  he 
observed  as  she  retired,  that  the  noise  of  her  feet  was  too 
loud,  and  very  improper  in  the  goddess  of  beauty.  For 
those  illiberal  reflections  upon  the  gods,  he  was  driven 
from  Heaven. 

Momus  is  generally  represented  raising  a mask  from 
his  face,  and  holding  a small  figure  in  his  hand. 

CHARON. 

Charon?  a god  of  Hell,  and  son  of  Erebus  and  Night, 
conducted  the  souls  of  the  dead  in  a boat  over  the  rivers 
Styx  and  Acheron,  to  the  infernal  regions.  But  he  con- 
veyed no  one  without  their  tribute,  and  it  was  a custom 
among  the  ancients  in  preparing  the  dead  for  burial,  to 
place  a piece  of  money  under  the  tongue  for  Charon. 

When  a departed  soul  presented  herself  for  a passage 
in  his  boat  he  first  inquired  whether  the  traveller  could 
furnish  the  requisite  fee ; and  if  it  should  happen  that  the 
oboius  had  been  forgotten,  the  poor  soul  was  left  to  wander 
on  the  gloomy  shores  a hundred  years  before  being  con* 


NEREUS. 


35 


ducted  over  the  river ; and  such  as  had  not  been  honored 
with  a funeral,  were  subjected  to  the  same  penalty. 

Among  the  ancients,  it  was  considered  an  inexpressible 
cruelty  to  deny  to  the  dead  a burial ; and  for  this  reason, 
all  great  commanders  were  careful,  after  a battle,  to  inter 
the  bodies  of  those  whose  lives  had  been  lost  in  their  service. 

No  living  person  was  received  into  Charon’s  boat,  unless 
he  could  show  a golden  bough  which  he  had  received  from 
the  Sybil  as  a passport.  Yet  it  is  said  that  ASneas  by  his 
piety,  Hercules  and  Theseus  by  their  valor,  and  Orpheus 
by  his  music,  obtained  the  privilege  of  passing  to  and  fro 
in  old  Charon’s  ferry  boat. 

Charon  is  represented  as  an  old  man  with  a ragged  gar- 
ment, a long  grey  neglected  beard,  and  his  forehead  lined 
with  wrinkles. 

NEREUS. 

Nereus,  the  son  of  Pontos  and  Terra,  was  the  personifi- 
cation of  the  smooth  sea. 

He  married  Doris,  the  daughter  of  Oceanos,  and  their 
children  were  the  Nereides,  or  the  nymphs  of  the  sea. 
They  are  said  to  have  been  fifty  in  number,  and  their 
names  are  all  mentioned  ; yet  but  few  of  them  are  intro- 
duced into  the  history  of  the  gods.  The  greater  part  of 
them  are  represented  as  forming  a splendid  retinue  when 
Thetis  and  Amphitrite,  the  principal  ones,  appeared  on  the 
sea. 

The  imagination  of  the  ancients  allowed  no  place  to 
remain  uninhabited,  and  therefore  formed  a multitude  of 
creatures,  and  a variety  of  abodes,  in  regions  which  none 
but  immortals  could  inhabit ; and  the  rising  of  the  marine 
deities  from  their  crystal  palaces  to  the  surface  of  the  wa- 
ters afforded  a subject  for  some  attractive  fables  among 
the  ancient  poets.  When  on  the  sea  shore,  the  Nereides 


36 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


resided  in  grottoes  and  caves,  which  were  adorned  with 
shells  and  shaded  with  vine  branches. 

They  are  represented  as  young  and  handsome  virgins, 
sitting  on  dolphins,  and  holding  Neptune’s  trident,  or  some- 
times garlands  of  flowers.  Their  duty  was  to  attend  upon 
the  more  powerful  deities  of  the  sea,  and  to  be  subservient 
to  the  will  of  Neptune. 

The  Nereides  were  implored  as  well  as  the  rest  of  the 
deities.  Their  altars  were  chiefly  on  the  coasts  of  the  sea 
where  the  piety  of  mankind  made  them  offerings  of  milk, 
oil,  and  honey,  and  often  of  the  flesh  of  goats ; as  they 
had  the  power  of  ruffling  or  calming  the  waters,  they  were 
always  addressed  by  sailors,  who  implored  their  protection, 
and  that  they  would  grant  them  a favorable  voyage  and  a 
prosperous  return. 

Nereus  was  represented  as  an  old  man,  with  a long  flow- 
ing  beard,  and  hair  of  an  azure  color,  and  sometimes 
crowned  with  sea  weed.  The  chief  place  of  his  residence 
was  in  the  iEgean  Sea,  where  he  was  surrounded  by  his 
daughters,  who  often  danced  around  him  in  chorus. 

He  had  the  gift  of  prophecy,  and  informed  those  who 
consulted  him  of  the  different  fates  that  awaited  them. 

AMPHITRITE.  THETIS.  GALATEA. 

Amphitrite  became  the  wife  of  Poseidon,  and  Thetv 
was  married  to  the  Thessalian  king,  Peleus.  Galataea  loved 
Acis,  the  handsome  shepherd,  and  the  monstrous  Cyclop 
Polyphemos,  sued  in  vain  for  her  favor.  On  a certain  occa 
sion,  the  monster  beheld  the  nymph  at  the  foot  of  Moun? 
.ZEtna,  embracing  his  handsome  rival.  He  became  di? 
tracted  with  furious  jealousy,  and  tearing  up  a rock  froir 
its  roots,  raised  it  in  the  air,  and  hurled  it  upon  the  lov 
ers  in  order  to  bury  them  under  its  weight. 

The  nymph  swiftly  escaped  into  the  sea,  but  Acis,  over- 
whelmed by  the  massy  stone,  sprang  forth  from  beneath 


HARPIES. 


3? 


it  as  a purling  brook,  the  waters  of  which  produced  a 
meandering  stream  that  bore  his  name. 

THAUMAS. 

Astonishment  at  the  grand  spectacles  of  nature  rises  out 
of  the  sea,  and  with  a few  leading  features,  is  personified 
in  Thaumas,  a son  of  Pontos.  $ 

Thaumas  is  the  father,  and  the  Oceanide,  Electra 
( Brightness ),  the  mother  of  Iris  or  the  rainbow  ; that  worn 
derful  being,  who,  on  account  of  the  rapidity  with  which 
her  feet  touch  the  earth,  ere  her  head  has  left  the  clouds, 
is  represented  as  the  female  messenger  of  the  immortals. 
She  shared  with  Mercury  the  honor  of  conveying  to  the 
inhabitants  of  the  earth  the  mandates  of  the  superior 
divinities ; especially  of  J uno,  to  whose  service  she  was 
particularly  attached,  and  whose  person  she  constantly 
attended. 

Her  most  serious  charge  was  to  cut  the  thread  of  life 
which  seemed  to  detain  the  soul  in  the  expiring  body  ; she 
is  thus  represented  by  Yirgil,  as  being  sent  by  Juno  from 
Olympus  to  release  the  struggling  soul  of  Dido. 

HARPIES. 

Children  of  the  same  parents  are  the  swift-winged  Har- 
pies, Aello,  Ocypete,  and  Celoeno ; who,  like  raging  torna- 
does, rush  forth  from  the  sea  and  seize  their  prey — a hor- 
ror to  mortals  who  are  unable  to  resist  their  rapacious 
claws.  They  are  represented  as  having  the  faces  of  virgins, 
the  bodies  of  vultures,  and  the  claws  of  lions. 

They  were  sent  by  Juno  to  plunder  the  tables  of  Phineus, 
whence  they  were  driven  to  the  islands  called  Strophades 
They  plundered  iEneias  during  his  voyage  towards  Italy, 
and  predicted  many  of  the  calamities  which  attended  him 

According  to  Damm,  the  term  Harpya  signifies  properly 
a violent  wind,  carrying  off  any  thing  that  is  exposed  to 


38 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


its  fury ; in  other  words,  a 
furious  whirlwind.  Hence 
the  fable  of  the  Harpies. 

To  the  vivid  imagination  of 
the  Greeks,  the  terrors  of  the 
storm  were  intimately  asso- 
ciated with  the  idea  of  pow- 
erful and  active  daemons 
directing  its  fury.  The 
names  given  to  the  Harpies 
indicate  this ; viz.  Ocypete, 
rapid  ; Celaeno,  obscurity ; 
and  Aello,  a storm.  With 
Homer,  the  Harpies  are  god- 
desses who  suddenly  carry 
off  persons  unseen  and  un- 
heard. 

GRiEiE. 

Phorcys,  and  his  wife  Ceto,  are  the  children  of  Pontos 
and  parents  of  the  monsters.  Graeae  ( Gray-maids ,)  Per- 
phredo  ( horrijier ),  Enyo  ( shaker ),  and  Deino  ( terrifier ), 
three  decrepit  virgins,  who  were  grey  with  age  from  their 
very  birth.  Their  abode  was  at  the  end  of  the  earth, 
where  reigns  eternal  night. 

THE  GORGONS. 

The  Gorgons,  Euryale,  Stheino,  and  Medusa,  were 
daughters  of  the  same  parents.  Instead  of  hair  their  heads 
were  covered  with  serpents.  They  had  the  faces  and 
breasts  of  women,  and  their  bodies,  which  terminated  in 
the  tails  of  serpents,  were  covered  with  scales.  Their  very 
looks  had  the  power  of  turning  the  beholder  to  stone. 
Medusa,  who  was  killed  by  Perseus,  was  the  only  one  of 
them  subject  to  mortality. 


CERBEROS. 


39 


¥i7e  find  the  Grasae  always  united  with  the  Gorgons, 
whose  guards  they  wTere,  according  to  iEschylus.  This 
poet  describes  them  as  u three  long-lived  maids,  swan  form- 
ed, having  one  eye  and  one  tooth  in  common,  and  on  whom 
the  sun  with  his  beams  nor  the  mighty  moon  ever  looks.” 
Perseus,  he  says,  intercepted  the-eye  as  they  were  handing 
it  from  one  to  the  other,  and  having  thus  blinded  the 
guard,  was  enabled  to  approach  the  Gorgons  unperceived. 

CHRYSAOR. 

From  the  blood  of  Medusa,  sprang  Chrysaor  with  the 
golden  sword,  and  the  winged  Pegasos. 

Chrysaor  married  Callirrhoe,  a daughter  of  Oceanos  ; and 
they  became  the  parents  of  the  triple-bodied  Geryon,  and 
Echidna,  who  was  upwards  a beautiful  nymph,  but  termi 
nated  below  in  a hideous  coiling  dragon. 

With  Echidna,  the  giant  Typhoeus  produced  the  triple- 
headed dog  Cerberos,  that  watched  the  gates  of  Pluto’s 
dismal  realm,  the  two-headed  dog  Orthrus,  the  Lernaean 
Hydra,  and  the  fire-vomiting  Chimacra.  Echidna  is  also 
said  to  be  the  mother  of  the  Nemaean  Lion  and  the  mys- 
terious Sphinx. 


CERBEROS. 

Cerberos  was  variously  described  by  the  ancient  mytho- 
logists  and  poets.  According  to  Hesiod  he  had  fifty 
heads,  and  according  to  others  only  three.  He  was  sta- 
tioned at  the  entrance  of  Hell  as  a watchful  keeper,  to 
prevent  the  living  from  entering  the  infernal  regions,  and 
the  dead  from  escaping  their  confinement.  It  was  usual 
for  the  heroes,  who  in  their  lifetime  visited  the  dominions 
of  Aides,  to  appease  the  barking  mouth  of  Cerberos  with 
% cake. 


40 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


HYDRA. 

The  celebrated  Hydra,  which  infested  the  lake  of  Lerna 
in  Peloponnesus,  had,  according  to  Diodorus,  a hundred 
heads ; according  to  Simonides,  fifty ; and  according  to 
the  more  received  opinion  of  ApMlodorus.  the  number  was 
nine.  As  soon  as  one  of  these  heads  was  cut  off,  two  im- 
mediately grew  in  its  place,  unless  the  wound  was  instantly 
touched  with  fire.  To  destroy  the  Hydra  was  one  of  the 
twelve  labors  of  Hercules. 

CHIMERA. 

Chimsera  was  represented  as  a dreadful  monster,  having 
the  head  and  breast  of  a lion,  the  body  of  a goat,  and  con 
tinually  vomited  forth  fire. 

This  fiction  was  probably  occasioned  by  a lambent  flame 
of  some  ignited  gas  issuing  from  a small  cavity  in  the  side 
of  a lofty  mountain  of  Lycia,  and  which  is  still  apparent. 
On  the  summit  of  the  mountain  were  lions ; in  the  middle 
goats  pastured ; and  the  lower  parts  of  it  were  infested 
with  serpents.  Bellerophon,  a famous  hero,  made  this  moun- 
tain habitable,  and  was  therefore  said  to  have  killed  the 
Chimsera. 

THE  SPHINX. 

The  Sphinx  was  a monster  with  the  face  of  a woman 
the  breast,  feet,  and  tail  of  a lion,  and  the  wings  of  a bird. 
Juno,  always  hostile  to  the  city  of  Dionysos,  sent  this  mou 
ster  to  ravage  the  territory  of  Thebes.  She  hau  beeu 
taught  riddles  by  the  Muses,  and  from  the  Phiceau  tiui 
propounded  one  to  the  Thebans:  It  was  this:  - What  is 
that  which  has  one  voice,  is  four  footed,  two-footed,  and  at 
last  three-footed?”  The  oracle  told  the  Thebans  that  tLu-y 
would  not  be  delivered  from  the  Sphinx  until  they  nuu 
solved  her  riddle.  They  often  met  to  try  their  skill,  and 


GIANTS.  CYCLOPES.  TITANS. 


4i 


when  they  failed,  the  Sphinx  carried  off  and  devoured  one 
of  their  number.  At  length  Hsemon,  son  of  Creon,  having 
become  her  victim,  his  father,  by  public  proclamation,  offered 
his  throne  and  the  hand  of  his  sister  Iocasta  to  whoever 
should  solve  the  riddle. 

(Edipus,  who  was  then  at  Thebes,  hearing  this,  came 
forward  and  answered  the  Sphinx,  that  it  was  man,  who 
when  an  infant  creeps  on  all  fours ; when  a man,  goes  on 
two  feet ; and  when  old,  uses  a staff,  a third  foot.  The 
Sphinx  then  flung  herself  down  to  the  earth  and  perished. 

GIANTS.  CYCLOPES.  TITANS. 

Earth  united  with  Heaven  produced  Oceanos  and  the 
giants  with  fifty  heads  and  a hundred  hands — by  which  is 
meant,  the  personification  of  the  great  powers  of  nature — 
as  their  names  signify  : Cottos  ( eruption ),  Briareos  (< hur - 
ricane ),  and  G-yes  ( earthquake ).  The  Cyclopes  which  repre- 
sented the  energies  of  the  sky  ; Steropes  ( lightning ),  Bron- 
tes ( thunder ),  and  Arges  (the  candent  holt).  Also  the  Titans 
and  Titanides,  whose  names  signify  the  milder  powers  of 
nature,  or  some  of  the  planets.  Titans  (so  called  from  Ti- 
taia,  one  of  the  epithets  of  Earth),  Coeos  (he  that  begets ), 
Hyperion  (superior  or  wandering  on  high),  Crios  (the  ruler), 
Japetos  ( intention ),  Kronos  (time).  Titanides — Phoebe  (the 
shining ),  Bhea  (succession),  Themis  (justice),  Theia  (order), 
Tethvs  ( the  nourisher),  Mnemosyne  (retention  or  memory). 

These  productions  became  formidable  to  their  father, 
who  closely  confined  them  in  the  grottoes  of  the  earth,  and 
never  permitted  them  to  see  the  light.  Earth,  displeased 
at  their  fate,  forged  the  first  sickle  or  scythe,  and  giving  it 
to  Kronos,  the  youngest  of  the  Titans,  instigated  him  to 
limit  the  power  of  his  father  by  maiming  him.  From  the 
drops  of  blood  that  Earth  received  in  her  lap,  arose  the 
giants  Porphyrion,  Alcyoneus,  Cromedon,  Encelados,  and 
Rhoetus.  What  fell  into  the  sea  rendered  it  prolific,  and 


42 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY, 


from  the  foam  arose  Venus,  the  goddess  of  Love  and  Beauty. 
She  was  the  first  beautiful  object  that  arose  from  the  con- 
test of  power  against  power  among  the  productions  of 
Earth ; and  deriving  her  origin  from  the  creative  power 
of  Heaven,  she  is  the  representation  of  all  that  is  beauti- 
ful and  attractive,  commanding  the  homage  of  gods  as  well 
as  men. 


THE  NYMPHiE. 

According  to  Hesiod,  the  Nymphs  were  also  the  pro- 
ductions of  Heaven.  The  Greeks  divided  them  into  vari- 
ous orders  according  to  the  place  of  their  abode. 

Thus,  the  Mountain-Nymphs  ( Oreiads ) haunted  the  moun- 
tains. The  Napaxz,  or  Dale-Nymphs,  the  valleys ; the 
Leimoniades,  or  Mead-Nymphs,  the  meadows  ; the  Naiades , 
or  Water-Nymphs,  the  rivers,  brooks,  and  springs  ; the 
Limniades , or  Lake-Nymphs,  the  lakes  and  pools.  There 
were  also  the  Hamadryades , {jr  Tree-Nymphs,  who  were 
born  and  died  with  the  trees;  the  Dryades , or  Wood- 
Nymphs,  and  the  Meliades , the  Fruit-tree-Nymphs,  or 
Flock-Nymphs,  who  watched  over  gardens,  or  flocks  of 
sheep. 

The  charge  of  rearing  various  gods  and  heroes  was  com- 
mitted to  the  Nymphs  ; for  instance,  they  were  the  nurses 
of  Dionysos,  Pan,  and  even  Jupiter  himself ; and  they  also 
brought  up  Aristseos  and  iEneias.  They  were  also  the 
attendants  of  the  goddesses;  they  waited  on  Juno  and 
Venus,  and  in  huntress-attire,  pursued  the  deer  over  the 
mountains  in  the  company  of  Diana. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  species  of  Nymphs  are  the 
Hamadryades,  those  personifications  of  the  vegetable  life 
of  plants.  They  possessed  the  power  to  reward  and  punish 
those  who  prolonged  or  abridged  the  existence  of  their  asso- 
ciate-tree. 

A man  named  RIicoccns,  happening  to  see  an  oak  just 


OCEANOS. 


43 


ready  to  fall  to  the  ground,  ordered  his  slaves  to  prop  it 
up.  The  Nymph,  who  had  been  on  the  point  of  perishing 
with  the  tree,  came  to  him  expressing  her  gratitude  for 
having  saved  her  life,  and  at  the  same  time  desired  him  to 
ask  what  reward  he  would.  Rhoecos  then  requested  per- 
mission to  be  her  lover,  to  which  the  Nymph  acceded ; 
charging  him  at  the  same  time  to  avoid  the  society  of  other 
women,  and  told  him  that  a bee  should  be  her  messenger. 
On  a time,  the  bee  happened  to  come  to  Rhoecos  as  he  was 
playing  at  draughts,  when  he  made  a rude  reply ; which 
so  incensed  the  Nymph  that  she  deprived  him  of  sight. 

OCEANOS. 

Oceanos,  son  of  Heaven  and  Earth  ( Uranos  and  Ge,  or 
Calus  and  Terra),  married  Tethys,  in  connection  with 
whom  he  produced  the  Rivers  and  Fountains,  and  the 
Oceanides. 

The  name  of  Oceanos  is  made  to  signify  an  immense 
stream,  which  according  to  the  rude  ideas  pf  the  ancients 
circulated  round  the  terraqueous  plain,  and  from  which  the 
different  seas  ran  out  in  the  manner  of  bays.  This  opinion, 
which  was  also  that  of  Eratosthenes,  was  prevalent  even  in 
the  time  of  Herodotus.  This  same  river  Oceanos  was 
supposed  to  ebb  and  flow  thrice  in  a single  day  ; and  the 
heavenly  bodies  were  believed  to  descend  into  it  at  their 
setting,  and  emerge  from  it  at  their  rising. 

The  ancients  were  superstitious  in  their  worship  of 
Oceanos,  reverencing,  with  great  solemnity,  a deity  to 
whose  care  they  intrusted  themselves  when  going  on  a 
voyage.  He  presided  over  every  part  of  the  sea,  and  even 
rivers  were  subject  to  his  power.  According  to  Homer, 
he  was  father  of  all  the  gods,  and  on  that  account  received 
frequent  visits  from  the  other  deities. 

Oceanos  is  generally  represented  as  an  old  man,  with  a 
long,  flowing  beard,  and  sitting  upon  the  waves  of  the  sea 


44 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


He  often  holds  a pike  in  his  hand,  and  ships  under  sail 
appear  in  the  distance. 

RIVERS  AND  FOUNTAINS. 

As  productions  of  Oceanos,  the  Kivers  and  Fountains 
belong  to  the  ancient  Deities ; but  in  the  later  history  of 
the  gods,  ima- 
gination has 
given  them  per- 
sonality, and 
they  appear  as 
active  beings. 

As  for  exam- 
ple, Scaman- 
der,  Achelous, 

Peneus,  Al- 
pheios,  and  In- 
achos.  This 
personification 
of  the  running 
waters  has  giv- 
en rise  to  some 
beautiful  fic- 
tions, and  the  head  of  a people  whose  origin  is  not  known, 
is  called  a son  of  the  river  near  the  shores  of  which  are 
found  the  dwellings  of  his  descendants.  iEschylus  intro- 
duces the  Fountains  as  pitying  Prometheus,  when  he  was 
chained  to  the  rock  by  Jupiter,  and  complaining  with  him 
of  the  tyranny  to  which  he  was  subjected. 

There  are  few  streams  so  celebrated  in  antiquity  as  the 
Alpheios.  Its  proximity  to  the  scen-e  of  the  Olympic  con 
tests,  continually  connects  its  name  with  the  mention  of 
those  memorable  games. 

There  is  also  a pleasing  legend  connected  with  this 
stream.  According  to  the  poets,  Alpheios  loved  and  pur* 


INACHOS. 


45 


sued  the  Nymph  Are thusa;  who  was  only  saved  from  him 
by  the  intervention  of  Diana,  who  for  that  purpose  changed 
her  into  a fountain.  This  fountain  she  placed  in  the  island 
of  Ortygia,  near  the  coast  of  Sicily.  The  ardent  river- 
god.  however,  did  not  then  desist,  but  worked  a passage 
for  himself  amid  the  intervening  ocean,  and  rising  again 
in  the  Ortygian  island,  his  waters  were  mingled  with  those 
of  the  fountain  Arethusa. 

According  to  another  version  of  the  same  legend,  it  was 
Diana  herself,  and  not  the  nymph  Arethusa,  whom  the 
river-god  of  the  Alpheios  pursued  ; and  when  this  pursuit 
ended  in  the  island  of  Ortygia,  then  arose  the  fountain 
Arethusa. 

This  account  affords  a clew  to  the  true  meaning  of  the 
entire  fable.  The  goddess,  it  appears,  had  an  altar  at 
Olympia  in  common  with  the  god  of  the  Alpheios.  To  the 
same  Diana  water  was  held  sacred  ; and  this  part  of  her 
worship,  having  passed  from  the  Peloponnesus  into  Sicily, 
the  worship  of  the  Alpheios  accompanied  it:  or,  in  other 
words,  a common  altar  for  the  two  divinities  was  erected 
by  the  Syracusans  in  Ortygia,  similar  in  its  attendant  rites 
and  Ceremonies  to  the  altar  at  Olympia.  In  the  island  of 
Ortygia  all  water  was  considered  sacred,  and  Diana  was 
worshipped  at  the  fountain  of  Arethusa.  And  from  this 
commingling  of  rites  arose  the  poetic  legend,  that  the  Al- 
pheios had  passed  through  the  ocean  to  Ortygia  and  blended 
its  waters  with  those  of  Arethusa ; or,  in  other  words,  its 
rites  with  those  of  Diana. 

INACHOS. 

A considerable  portion  of  ancient  history  is  traced  back 
to  Inachos,  son  of  Oceanos.  Inachos  was  a stream  that 
watered  the  fields  of  Argolis  in  Peloponnesus ; fiction  gave 
it  personality,  and  made  it  the  author  of  the  people  who 
lived  around  its  shores. 


46 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


His  son  Phoroneus  taught  them  the  use  of  fire ; and 
haying  previously  been  dispersed  in  the  woods,  he  per- 
suaded them  to  unite  and  build  themselves  contiguous 
dwellings.  Thus.  Phoroneus  causing  his  people  to  make 
the  first  step  towards  civilization,  became  one  of  the  ear- 
liest and  principal  benefactors  to  mankind. 

Io,  a daughter  of  Inachos,  loved  by  Jupiter,  and  perse- 
cuted by  Juno,  was  transformed  into  a cow,  and  furiously 
driven  over  the  whole  earth,  until  she  found  a resting-place 
in  Egypt.  There  she  had  a temple  erected,  and  was  wor- 
shipped as  a goddess  (Isis).  She  gave  a son  to  Jupiter, 
called  Epaphos,  from  whom  sprang  a royal  race,  that  after- 
wards reigned  in  Greece ; founding  their  right  of  royal 
authority  on  descent  from  old  Inachos. 

Libya,  a daughter  of  the  Egyptian  king  Epaphos,  gave 
two  sons  to  Poseidon,  Belus  and  Agenor ; the  latter  was 
king  of  Tyre.  Cadmos,  who  is  said  to  have  brought  the 
first  letters  into  Greece,  and  to  have  founded  the  city  of 
Thebes,  was  his  son ; and  Europa,  the  mother  of  Minos, 
his  daughter. 

Belus,  the  other  grandson  of  Epaphos,  was  the  father  of 
Danaos  and  Egyptus,  the  former  of  wThom  came  over  from 
Egypt  to  Greece,  and  reigned  in  Argos.  From  him  Acri- 
sius  descended,  the  father  of  Danae,  and  the  grandfather  of 
the  heroic  Perseus.  Alcaeus  was  a son  of  Perseus ; and  a 
grand-daughter  of  Alcaeus,  Alcmena,  was  the  mother  of 
Hercules. 

These  are  the  principal  personages  descended  from  the 
heroic  family  of  Inachos.  From  the  impossibility  of  tra- 
cing back  any  family  of  kings  further  than  Inachos,  arose 
the  common  saying  of  the  ancient  poets : u Though  thou 
canst  derive  thy  origin  from  old  Inachos,  thou  still  re- 
mainest  a victim  of  inexorable  Orcus.” 


10. 


47 


io. 

Io,  daughter  of  Inaehos,  was  priestess  of  Judo  at  Argos, 
and,  unhappily  for  her,  was  beloved  by  Jupiter.  When 
this  god  found  that  his  conduct  had  excited  the  suspicions 
of  Juno,  he  changed  Io  into  a white  cow,  and  declared  with 
an  oath  that  he  had  been  guilty  of  no  infidelity. 

The  Goddess,  affecting  to  believe  him,  asked  the  cow  as 
a present;  and,  on  obtaining  her,  set  the  u all-seeing  Ar 
gus”  to  watch  her.  He  accordingly  bound  her  to  an  olive- 
tree  in  the  grove  of  Mycenae,  and  there  kept  guard  over 
her.  Jupiter,  pitying  her  situation,  directed  Mercury  to 
steal  her  away.  The  god  of  ingenious  devices  made  the 
attempt ; but,  as  a vulture  always  gave  A rgus  warning  of 
his  projects,  he  found  it  impossible  to  succeed.  Nothing 
then  remained  but  open  force.  Mercury  killed  Argus 
with  a stone,  having  first  lulled  him  to  sleep  with  his  lyre, 
and  hence  obtained  the  appellation  of  Argus-slayer. 

The  vengeance  of  J uno,  however,  was  not  yet  satiated  ; 
and  she  sent  a gadfly  to  torment  Io,  who  fled  over  the  whole 
world  from  its  pursuit.  She  swam  through  the  Ionian 
Sea,  which  was  fabled  to  have  hence  derived  its  name 
from  her.  She  then  roamed  over  the  plains  of  Illyria, 
ascended  Mount  Hsemus,  and  crossed  the  Thracian  Strait, 
thence  named  the  Bosphorus ; she  rambled  on  through 
Scythia  and  the  country  of  the  Cimmerians,  and,  after  wan- 
dering over  various  regions  of  Europe  and  Asia,  arrived 
at  last  on  the  banks  of  the  Nile,  where  she  assumed  her 
original  form,  and  bore  to  Jupiter  a son  named  Epaphos. 

The  whole  story  of  Io  is  an  agricultural  legend,  and 
admits  of  an  easy  explanation.  Io,  whether  considered 
as  the  offspring  of  Iasos  (the  favorite  of  Ceres),  or  Peiron 
(the  u experimenter  ” or  “ tryer  ”),  is  a type  of  early  agri- 
culture, progressing  gradually  by  the  aid  of  slow  and 
painful  experience.  Jupiter  represents  the  firmament,  the 


48 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


genial  source  of  light  and  life;  Juno,  on  the  other  hand, 
is  the  type  of  the  atmosphere,  with  its  stormy  and  capri- 
cious changes.  Early  agriculture  suffers  from  these  chan- 
ges, which  impede  more  or  less  the  fostering  influence  of 
the  pure  firmament  that  lies  beyond ; and  hence,  man  is 
obliged  to  watch  with  incessant  and  sleepless  care  over  the 
labors  of  primitive  husbandry.  This  ever-watchful  super- 
intendence is  typified  by  Argus  with  his  countless  eyes, 
save  that  in  the  legend  he  becomes  an  instrument  of  pun- 
ishment in  the  hands  of  Juno. 

Juno  being  the  t}^pe  of  the  atmosphere,  the  peacock  was 
considered  as  sacred  to  that  goddess. 

Ovid  gives  to  Argus  a hundred  eyes,  of  which  only  two 
ever  slept  at  the  same  time  : he  also  makes  Mercury  to 
have  slain  him  with  a harpe,  or  short  curved  sword. 

STYX. 

Styx,  a daughter  of  Oceanos  and  Tethys.  Also  a cele- 
brated river  of  hell  round  which  it  flowed  nine  times. 
The  waters  of  this  subterranean  fountain  trickle  in  nightly 
gloom  from  a high  vaulted  rock,  forming  the  stream  over 
which  there  is  no  return  ; and  by  this  stream  the  gods 
swear  that  inviolable  oath,  the  obligation  of  which  no 
power  of  heaven  or  earth  can  dissolve.  Thus  the  gods  on 
high  swear  by  the  deep  where  night  reigns,  and  where, 
according  to  the  ancients,  are  the  foundations  of  the  uni- 
verse on  which  depend  the  preservation  of  all  things. 

If  any  of  the  gods  were  guilty  of  perjury,  Jupiter 
obliged  them*  to  drink  of  the  water  ol  the  Styx,  which  for 
a whole  year  lulled  them  to  senseless  stupidity ; for  the 
nine  following  years  they  were  deprived  of  the  nectar  and 
ambrosia  of  the  gods ; after  the  expiration  of  this  period 
of  punishment  they  were  restored  to  the  assembly  of  the 
gods  and  to  the  enjoyment  of  their  original  privileges. 


HELIOS  OR  SOL. 


49 


HYPERION, 

Hyperion  and  Theia  unite  and  produce  Eos  [Dawn 
or  Aurora ),  Helios,  and  Luna.  Eos  married  Astraeos 
(Starry),  the  son  of  the  Titan  Crios,  and  became  the  mother 
of  the  strong  winds,  Zephyros,  Boreas,  and  Notos,*  and 
Eosphoros  ( Dawn-bearer ),  or  the  morning  star. 

Appearing  in  the  grey  twilight  of  morning,  Aurora  lifts 
with  rosy  fingers  the  veil  of  Night,  sheds  a radiant  lustre 
over  the  earth,  and  disappears  at  the  entrance  of  Helios. 

She  is  represented  as  standing  in  a magnificent  cha- 
riot, and  sometimes  drawn  by  winged  steeds.  A brilliant 
star  sparkles  upon  her  forehead,  and  while  with  one  hand 
she  grasps  the  reins,  she  holds  in  the  other  a lighted  torch. 

HELIOS  OR  SOL. 

Helios,  or  Sol,  belonged  likewise  to  the  ancient  deities ; 
in  which,  with  a few  strong  features,  the  grand  objects  of 
nature  are  personified ; for  it  is  the  shining  sun  that  ap- 
pears in  the  image  of  Helios.  His  head  is  surrounded 
by  rays,  and  he  gives  light  both  to  gods  and  men.  He 
sees  and  hears  every  thing,  and  discovers  all  that  is  kept 
secret. 

To  him  were  sacred  those  fat  oxen  that  grazed  without 
herdsmen  in  the  island  of  Sicily,  and  at  the  sight  of  which 
he  was  delighted  as  he  passed  through  the  skies.  When? 
therefore,  the  companions  of  Ulysses  had  killed  several  of 
them,  the  god  of  the  sun  threatened  J upiter  that  he  would 
descend  into  Orcus  and  carry  light  to  the  de£d  unless  he 
avenged  the  injury  done  him.  Jupiter  terrified  by  his 
threats,  immediately  dashed  the  ship  in  pieces,  so  that 
Ulysses’  companions  became  a prey  to  the  sea.  (II.  xii.  260.) 

Sometimes  the  god  of  the  sun  is  called  Titan,  on  ac- 
count of  his  belonging  to  that  family  ; or  from  his  father, 


See  large  edition. 
3 


50 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


with  whom  he  is  sometimes  confounded  in  ancient  tales ; 
or  Hyperion,  a name  which  signifies  height  and  sublimity ; 
and  it  is  remarkable  that  a term  of  precisely  the  same  im- 
port ( lkare ) is  applied  to  the  same  luminary  by  the  Iroquois 
of  North  America. 

Sol  was  an  object  of  veneration  among  the  ancients,  and 
was  particularly  worshipped  by  the  Persians  under  the 
name  of  Mithras. 

HECATE. 

Coios  and  Phoebe  unite  and  produce  Latona  and  Asteria. 
The  latter  married  Perses,  and  became  the  mother  of  He- 
cate; who,  although  of  the  Titan  family,  is  highly  honored 
by  Jupiter  as  well  as  the  other  gods  ; for  she  belonged  to 
that  class  of  beings  whose  power  was  supposed  to  extend 
throughout  the  universe.  She  was  considered  as  one  of 
the  fatal  deities  who  distributed  either  victory  or  renown 
according  to  her  pleasure,  and  in  whose  hands  lies  the  fate 
of  men.  She  reigns  on  earth,  in  the  sea,  and  in  the  air; 
and  was  called  Luna  in  heaven,  Diana  on  the  earth,  and 
Persephone  in  hell.  She  was  supposed  to  preside  over 
magic  and  enchantment ; and  to  her,  kings  and  nations 
considered  themselves  indebted  for  their  prosperity. 

Hecate  is  undoubtedly  a stranger  divinity  in  the  my- 
thology of  the  Greeks.  It  would  appear  that  she  was  one 
of  the  hurtful  class  of  deities,  transported  by  Hesiod  into 
the  Grecian  mythology,  and  placed  behind  the  more  popular 
deities,  as  a being  of  earlier  existence. 

Jablonski  regards  Hecate  as  the  same  with  the  Egyptian 
Tithrambo.  Her  actions  upon  nature,  her  diversified  attri- 
butes, her  innumerable  functions,  are  a mixture  of  physi- 
cal, allegorical,  and  philosophical  traditions  respecting  the 
fusion  of  the  elements  and  the  generation  of  beings. 
Hecate  was  the  night ; and  by  an  extension  of  this  idea, 
the  primitive  night,  the  primary  cause  or  parent  of  all 


HECATE. 


51 


things.  She  was  the  moon  ; and  hence  were  connected 
with  her  all  those  ideas  which  are  grouped  around  tho 
moon  ; she  is  the  goddess  that  troubles  the  reason  of  mon  ; 
the  goddess  that  presides  over  nocturnal  ceremonies,  and 
consequently  over  magic ; hence  her  identity  with  Diana 
for  the  Grecian  mythology,  and  with  Isis  for  the  Egyptian  ; 
and  hence  also  her  cosmogonical  attributes  assigned  to 
Isis  in  Egypt. 

Dogs,  lambs,  and*  honey  were  generally  offered  to  Hecate, 
especially  in  highways  and  cross-roads — hence  she  obtained 
the  name  of  Trivia.  Expiatory  sacrifices  were  offered  to 
her  on  the  thirtieth  of  every  month,  in  which  eggs  and  young 
dogs  were  the  principal  objects.  The  remains  of  the  offer- 
ings, together  with  a large  quantity  of  all  sorts  of  comesti- 
bles, were  exposed  in  the  cross-roads,  and  called  the  supper 
of  Hecate.  The  poorer  classes  and  cynics  seized  upon 
these  viands  with  an  eagerness  that  passed  among  the  an- 
cients as  a mark  of  extreme  indigence,  or  the  lowest  degree 
of  baseness. 

The  Athenians  also  paid  particular  worship  to  Hecate, 
who  was  deemed  the  patroness  of  families  and  children. 
From  this  cirumstance  the  statues  of  the  goddess  were 
erected  before  the  doors  of  houses.  Upon  every  new 
moon  a supper  was  provided  at  the  expense  of  the  wealthy, 
and  set  in  the  streets,  where  the  poorest  of  the  citizens 
were  allowed  to  feast  upon  it,  while  they  reported  that  it 
was  devoured  by  Hecate.  This  public  supper  was  always 
held  in  a place  where  three  ways  met,  in  allusion  to  the 
triple  nature  of  the  goddess 

There  were  also  expiatory  offerings  to  supplicate  the 
goddess  to  remove  whatever  evils  might  impend  on  the 
head  of  the  public. 

Her  statues  were  in  general  dog-headed ; and  were  set 
up  at  Athens  and  elsewhere  in  the  market-places  and  cross 
roads.  It  is  probable  that  the  dog-headed  form  was  the 


52 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


ancient  and  mystic  one  of  Hecate,  and  that  under  which 
she  was  worshipped  in  the  mysteries  of  Samothrace, 
where  dogs  were  immolated  in  her  honor.  Her  mysteries 
were  also  celebrated  at  iEgina,  and  their  establishment 
was  ascribed  to  Orpheus.  Numerous  statues  of  the  god- 
dess were  to  be  seen  in  this  island,  one  by  Myron  with  a 
single  face,  others  with  two  faces,  attributed  to  the  famous 
Alcamenes. 

Hecate  was  generally  represented  as  a woman  with  the 
head  of  a female,  a horse,  or  a dog  ; and  sometimes  with 
three  distinct  bodies,  having  three  different  faces  united  in 
one  neck. 

ASTRiEOS.  PALLAS.  PERSES. 

Crios  and  Eurybia  ( Wide- strength),  a daughter  of  Pontos, 
gave  birth  to  the  Titans,  Astraeos  [Starry),  Pallas  ( Shaker ), 
and  Perses  [ Bright). 

Pallas  married  Styx,  the  daughter  of  Oceanos,  who  gave 
him  powerful  children  ; Zelos  [Zeal),  Nike  ( Victory),  Kra- 
tos  [Power),  and  Bia  [Strength).  In  the  war  of  the  gods, 
Styx,  by  the  advice  of  her  father,  went  over  with  her  chil- 
dren to  Jupiter,  and  since  that  time  the  latter  have  their 
seat  near  the  ruler  of  Heaven  and  Earth.  Victory  became 
one  of  the  attendants  of  Jupiter. 

IAPETOS. 

Iapetos  marries  Clymene,  Oceanos’  daughter,  and  is  the 
parent  of  the  Titans,  Atlas,  Menoetius,  Epimetheus,  and 
Prometheus.  Atlas  married  Phe'ione,  one  of  the  Ocean- 
ides,  and  had  twelve  daughters  called  Atlantides.  Seven 
of  the  daughters  were  changed  into  a constellation  cailed 
Pleiades,  and  the  rest  into  another  called  Hyades.  Atlas 
was  also  the  father  of  the  fair  nymph,  Calypso,  who  so 
loug  detained  Ulysses  in  her  island  in  the  distant  west. 


ATLAS. 


53 


ATLAS. 

The  name  of  Atlas  signifies  the  Endurer ; and  Homer 
calls  him  the  wise  or  deep  thinking , who  knows  all  the  depths 
of  the  sea,  and  keeps  the  long  pillars  which  hold  Heaves 
and  Earth  asunder. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  state,  that  the  Atlas  of  Homer 
and  Hesiod  is  not  the  personification  of  a mountain.  In 
process  of  time,  however,  when  the  meaning  of  the  earlier 
legend  had  become  obscured  or  lost,  Atlas,  the  keeper  of 
the  pillars  that  support  the  Heaven,  became  a mountain 
of  Libya.  It  is  remarkable,  however,  that  in  all  the  forms 
which  the  fable  assumes,  it  is  the  god  or  man  Atlas  who  is 
turned  into,  or  gives  name  to  the  mountain.  Thus,  accord- 
ing to  one  mythologist,  Atlas  was  a king  of  the  remotest 
west,  rich  in  flocks  and  herds,  and  master  of  the  trees 
that  bore  the  golden  apples.  An  ancient  prophecy  de- 
livered by  Themis,  had  announced  to  him,  that  his  pre- 
cious trees  would  be  plundered  by  a son  of  Jupiter. 
When  therefore  Perseus,  on  his  return  from  slaying  the 
Gorgon,  arrived  in  the  realms  of  Atlas,  and  seeking  hospi- 
tality, announced  himself  to  be  a son  of  the  king  of  the 
gods,  the  western  monarch,  calling  to  mind  the  prophecy, 
attempted  to  repel  him  from  his  doors.  Perseus,  inferioi 
in  strength,  displayed  the  head  of  Medusa,  and  the  in- 
hospitable monarch  was  turned  into  the  mountain  which 
still  bears  his  name. 

According  to  another  account,  Atlas  was  a man  of  Libya, 
devoted  to  astronomy.  Having  ascended  a lofty  mountain, 
for  the  purpose  of  making  observations,  befell  into  the  sea, 
and  both  sea  and  mountain  were  named  after  him.  His 
supporting  the  heavens  was  usually  explained  by  making 
him  an  astronomer  and  the  inventor  of  the  sphere. 

There  is  also  another  curious  legend  relating  to  Atlas, 
which  forms  part  of  the  fables  connected  with  the  adven* 


54 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


fcures  of  Hercules.  When  this  hero  in  quest  of  the  apples 
of  the  Hesperides,  had  come  to  the  spot  where  Prome- 
theus lay  chained,  moved  by  his  entreaties,  he  shot  the 
eagle  that  preyed  upon  his  liver.  Prometheus  out  of  gra- 
titude warned  him  not  to  go  himself  to  take  the  golden 
apples,  but  to  send  Atlas  for  them,  and  in  the  mean  time 
to  support  the  Heaven  in  his  stead.  The  hero  did  a? 
desired,  and  at  his  request  Atlas  went  to  the  Hesperides 
and  obtained  three  apples  from  them  ; he  then  proposed  U 
take  them  himself  to  Eurystheus,  while  Hercules  remained 
to  support  the  sky.  At  the  suggestion  of  Prometheus,  the 
hero  feigned  consent,  but  begged  him  to  take  hold  of  the 
heavens  till  he  made  a pad  to  put  upon  his  head.  Atlas 
threw  down  the  apples  and  resumed  his  burden,  and  Her- 
cules picked  them  up  and  went  his  way. 

Yarious  elucidations  of  the  legend  of  Atlas  have  been 
given  by  the  modern  expounders  of  mythology.  The  best 
is  that  of  Vollker.  This  writer,  taking  into  consideration 
the  meaning  of  his  name,  in  connection  with  the  position 
assigned  him  by  Homer  and  Hesiod,  and  the  species  of 
knowledge  ascribed  to  him,  and  also  his  being  the  father 
of  two  constellations,  regards  Atlas  as  a personification 
of  navigation  ; the  conquest  of  the  sea  by  human  skill, 
trade,  and  mercantile  profit. 

PROMETHEUS  AND  EPIMETHEUS. 

The  origin  of  men  in  these  fictions  is  so  subordinate,  that 
they  are  represented  as  not  even  owing  their  existence  to 
the  reigning  gods,  but  to  a descendant  of  the  Titans.  Pro- 
metheus, a son  of  Iapetos,  is  said  to  have  formed  the  first 
man  out  of  clay.  His  three  brothers,  Atlas,  Mencetius. 
and  Epimetheus,  were,  as  well  as  himself,  hated  by  the 
gods.  Iapetos,  their  father,  was  at  the  same  time  with  the 
other  Titans  thrown  into  Tartarus.  His  powerful  son,  Me- 
ncofcius,  on  account  of  his  dangerous  strength  and  haughty 


PROMETHEUS  AND  EPIMETHEUS. 


55 


pride,  was  killed  by  Jupiter’s  lightnings;  upon  the  shoul- 
ders of  Atlas,  Jupiter  laid  the  whole  burden  of  the  weight 
of  the  skies;  Prometheus  was  by  his  direction  fastened  to 
ft  rock,  where  a vulture  perpetually  gnawed  at  his  liver ; 
and  Epimetheus  was  destined  to  bring  woe  and  misery 
upon  mankind.  Thus  odious  to  the  gods  was  the  family 
of  Iapetos,  from  which  man  took  his  origin,  and  on  whom 
all  immeasurable  sufferings  were  afterwards  heaped  toge- 
ther, by  which  he  was  made  to  atone  for  his  grudged  exist- 
ence. 

According  to  ancient  fable,  the  formation  of  man  was 
accomplished  ii  the  following  manner  : — Prometheus  took 
a piece  of  earth,  a portion  of  clay  still  impregnated  with 
divine  particles,  moistened  it  with  water,  and  formed  man 
after  the  image  of  the  gods ; so  that  he  alone  raises  his 
look  to  heaven,  while  all  other  creatures  bend  their  eyes 
to  the  ground.  This  representation  shows  that  Fancy  could 
not  ascribe  even  to  the  gods,  a form  superior  to  that  of 
man,  for  there  is,  in  universal  nature  (and  nature  is  Fan- 
cy’s great  magazine),  no  being  deserving  this  preference. 
The  beams  of  the  sun  give  light,  but  man  sees ; the  thun- 
der rolls  and  the  waves  of  the  sea  roar,  but  the  tongue  of 
man  utters  distinct  and  intelligible  sounds;  the  moon 
and  stars  glitter  in  light  and  beauty,  but  the  human 
countenance  is  indicative  of  a superior  illumination. 

When  Prometheus  had  succeeded  in  representing  the 
divine  form,  he  burned  with  desire  to  bring  his  work  to 
perfection.  He  rose  therefore  to  the  chariot  of  Phoebus, 
in  order  to  kindle  the  torch,  from  the  fire  of  which  he  blew 
ethereal  flames  into  the  breasts  of  his  creatures — thus  giv- 
ing them  warmth  and  life.  But  the  wrath  of  Jupiter  was 
kindled  against  him,  as  a creator  of  divine  formations,  and 
he  determined  on  the  destruction  of  mankind.  Prome- 
theus, having  sacrificed  two  bulls,  wrapped  the  meat  in  one 
hide  and  the  bones  in  the  other,  and  then,  in  order  to  try 


56 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


Jupiter,  asked  him  which  he  would  prefer  as  an  offering. 
Jupiter  designedly  chose  the  worse  part,  that  he  might 
have  a plausible  pretext  for  anger  against  Prometheus, 
and  of  persecuting  his  creatures,  and  immediately  deprived 
them  of  fire.  He  durst  not  give  vent  to  his  hatred  against 
Prometheus  himself.  His  first  object  was,  to  destroy  his 
work  ; but  in  this  he  did  not  succeed.  The  noble  son  of 
Earth  ascended  a second  time  to  the  chariot  of  the  sun, 
and  again  brought  down  the  ethereal  spark,  hiding  it  in 
the  stem  of  a reed.  But  when  from  afar,  J upiter  descried 
the  light  of  fire  upon  the  earth,  he  formed  the  design  of 
punishing  men  through  their  own  folly.  He  therefore 
requested  Yulcan  to  make  a woman  of  clay,  which  he  in- 
tended sending  to  Prometheus  for  a wife ; he  directed  him 
to  knead  earth  and  water  till  it  assumed  the  form  of  a vir» 
gin,  like  the  immortal  goddesses,  and  then  to  give  it  human 
voice  and  strength.  Jupiter  also  desired  Minerva  to  en 
dow  her  with  artist  knowledge,  Venus  to  give  her  beauty, 
and  Mercury  to  inspire  her  with  an  impudent  and  artfuJ 
disposition.  When  formed,  she  was  attired  by  the  Seasons 
and  Graces,  and  each  of  the  deities  having  bestowed  upon 
her  the  desired  gifts,  she  was  called  Pandora  ( All -gifted ). 

Jupiter  then  gave  her  a beautiful  box  which  she  was 
ordered  to  present  to  the  man  who  married  her;  and  by 
the  commission  of  the  god,  Mercury  conducted  her  to  Pro- 
metheus. In  the  box  was  enclosed  the  whole  train  of  evils 
that  threaten  mankind.  Prometheus,  aware  of  the  fraud, 
rejected  the  dangerous  gift,  and  sent  Pandora  away  without 
suffering  himself  to  be  captivated  by  her  charms. 

He  continued  to  teach  men  every  useful  art,  for  which 
the  employment  of  fire  is  necessary,  and  which  was  the 
greatest  of  his  benefits  ; but  deprived  them  of  the  view  into 
futurity,  lest  they  should  anticipate  unavoidable  evils. 
Thus,  notwithstanding  the  efforts  of  Jupiter,  he  went  on 
to  perfect  the  creation  and  formation  of  mankind,  although 


PROMETHEUS  AND  EPIMETHEUS. 


57 


well  aware  that  he  must  atone  for  it  in  a horrible  man 
ner. 

Jupiter,  still  more  enraged  by  the  failure  of  his  cunning 
attempt,  and  burning  with  the  desire  of  revenging  him- 
self upon  Prometheus,  now  ordered  him  to  be  fastened  to 
a rock,  on  Mount  Caucasus,  where  a vulture  fed  all  day 
upon  his  liver,  which,  growing  again  during  the  night,  con- 
tinued to  be  the  means  of  his  torments. 

Meanwhile,  the  misfortunes  appointed  to  men  came  upon 
them,  in  spite  of  the  prudence  of  Prometheus.  The  incon- 
siderate Epimetheus,  although  warned  by  his  brother,  suf- 
fered himself  to  be  captivated  by  the  charms  of  Pandora  ; 
who,  after  he  had  married  her,  opened  the  pernicious  box 
out  of  which  all  imaginable  evils  spread  themselves  over 
the  whole  earth,  inflicting  misery  upon  mankind.  Pando- 
ra, perceiving  the  pernicious  contents  of  the  box,  imme- 
diately closed  it  again.  But,  alas!  it  was  too  late.  The 
evils  had  all  escaped,  and  nothing  remained  in  the  box 
but  Hope  ; who,  according  to  Jupiter’s  decree,  should  in 
due  time  afford  some  consolation  to  mortals.  And  she 
alone  has  the  wonderful  power  of  easing  the  labors  of  man, 
and  rendering  the  troubles  and  sorrows  of  life  less  painful. 

Prometheus  is  represented  as  feeling  deeply  the  suffer- 
ings of  mankind  He  may  be  considered  as  the  never- 
ceasing  disquietude,  the  restless,  never  satisfied  desire  of 
mortals ; for  the  liver  upon  which  the  vulture  preys  never 
dies,  and  the  liver  was  thought  by  the  ancients  to  be  the 
seat  of  desire.  His  inventive  genius  introduced  fire,  and 
the  arts  which  result  from  it ; and  man,  henceforth,  became 
a prey  to  care  and  anxiety,  the  love  of  gain  and  other  evil 
passions  which  torment  him,  and  which  are  personified  in 
the  eagle  that  fed  on  the  inconsumable  liver  of  Prometheus. 

According  to  the  fable,  the  pains  of  Prometheus  lasted 
until  a mortal  by  his  valor  and  invincible  courage  made 
himself  a path  to  immortality,  and  thus,  as  it  were,  recon- 

3* 


58 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


ciled  Jupiter  to  mankind.  Hercules,  son  of  Jupiter  and 
Alcmene,  killed  the  vulture  with  his  father’s  consent,  and 
delivered  the  sufferer  from  his  long  torments.  As  the  mor 
fcal  foe  of  the  Titans,  and  the  unrelenting  persecutor  of 
Prometheus,  Jupiter  strove  to  ruin  the  race  of  men.  But 
as  the  quiet  power  that  is  superior  to  its  own  wrath,  and  in 
concord  with  fate,  he  at  last  calmly  beheld  the  rising  of 
new  generations,  that  by  sufferings,  strength,  and  perse- 
verance, became  assimilated  to  the  gods  themselves. 

OGYGES.  DEUCALION. 

After  Prometheus  retreats  from  the  theatre  and  transac- 
tions of  the  world,  those  who  take  his  place  in  the  great 
cause  of  humanity,  the  new  fathers  of  mankind,  by  whose 
assistance  they  rise  as  it  were  from  oblivion,  are  Deucalion, 
Ogyges,  Cecrops,  and  Inachos. 

During  the  time  of  Ogyges,  son  of  Terra,  a deluge  oc- 
curred which  is  anterior  to  that  of  Deucalion.  The  hori- 
zon of  all  history  is  closed  by  this  Ogygian  flood,  and  even 
the  wide  field  of  fable  here  finds  its  limits. 

Ogyges  reigned  in  Boeotia,  which  from  him  is  somenmes 
called  Ogygia ; his  power  was  also  extended  over  Attica, 
It  is  supposed  that  he  was  of  Egyptian  or  I hcenician  ex- 
traction, but  his  origin  as  well  as  the  age  in  which  he  lived- 
and  the  duration  of  his  reign,  are  so  obscure  and  unknown, 
that  the  epithet  Ogygian  is  often  applied  to  any  thing  of 
dark  antiquity. 

The  Greek  legend  respecting  the  deluge  of  Deucalion  is 
as  follows: — Deucalion,  son  of  Prometheus  and  Clymene. 
was  married  to  Pyrrha,  daughter  of  Epimctheus  and  Pan- 
dora. When  Jupiter  designed  to  destroy  the  brazen  race 
of  men  on  account  of  their  impiety,  Deucalion,  by  the  ad* 
vice  of  his  father,  made  himself  an  ark,  and  putting  pro- 
visions into  it,  entered  it  with  his  wife  Pyrrha.  Jupiter 
then  poured  rain  from  Heaven,  and  inundated  a greater 


OGYGES.  DEUCALION. 


59 


part  of  Greece,  so  that  the  people,  except  a few  who  escaped 
to  the  lofty  mountains,  perished  in  the  waves.  At  the 
same  time,  the  floods  burst  through  the  mountains  of  Thes- 
saly,  and  all  Greece  without  the  Isthmus,  as  well  as  the 
Peloponnesus,  was  overflowed.  Deucalion  was  carried  along 
the  sea  in  his  ark  for  nine  days  and  nights,  until  he  reached 
mount  Parnassus.  By  this  time  the  rain  had  ceased  ; and 
leaving  his  ark,  he  sacrificed  to  Jupiter,. who  sent  Mercury 
desiring  him  to  ask  what  he  would.  His  request  was,  to 
have  the  earth  replenished  with  men.  Thereupon,  by  the 
Erection  of  Jupiter,  he  and  his  wife  threw  stones  behind 
them,  and  those  which  Deucalion  threw  became  men,  and 
those  thrown  by  Pyrrha,  women. 

Although  Deucalion  is  called  the  renewer  of  the  de- 
stroyed family  of  Prometheus,  yet  we  see  that  other  tradi- 
tions, still  more  ancient,  are  connected  with  the  fictions 
respecting  him,  and  that  they  confine  Deucalion’s  new  crea- 
tion, or  formation  of  men,  to  a part  of  Greece. 

Amphictyon,  a son  of  Deucalion,  first  established  a sacred 
association  among  the  several  tribes  of  Greece,  who,  by 
means  of  common  consultations,  were  so  closely  united  to- 
gether as  to  form  one  nation.  This  sacred  institution  was 
called  after  the  name  of  its  founder,  the  Amphictyonic 
council. 

Hellen,  Deucalion’s  second  son,  from  whose  name  the 
Greeks  are  called  Hellenes,  reigned  in  Thessaly,  and  was 
the  father  of  Eolus,  who  became  the  ancestor  of  many  he- 
roes. The  most  renowned  among  them  are  Meleager,  Bel- 
lerophon,  and  Iasion.  Meleager  killed  the  Caledonian  boar, 
Bellerophon  vanquished  the  monster  Chimeera,  and  Iasion 
won  the  golden  fleece. 

These  were  considered  as  the  most  ancient  of  men,  who 
existed  before  any  other,  and  whose  origin  commenced  be 
yond  any  record,  a circumstance  which  fiction  expressed  in 
these  words:  u They  were,  ere  the  moon  was.”  With  this 


00 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


'people,  too,  the  original  simplicity  and  innocence  of  man* 
ners  degenerated  into  vice  and  depravity  to  such  a degree, 
that  J upiter  continued  to  hurl  his  thunderbolts  upon  the 
land  of  Arcadia,  till  at  last  even  Earth  stretched  out  her 
arms,  imploring  mercy. 

KRONOS  OR  SATURN. 

Kronos  ( Time)  was  the  youngest  of  the  Titans,  and  as 
the  heavens  measure  out  time  to  us,  and  earth  is  considered 
its  beginning,  he  is  said  to  be  born  of  Uranos  and  Ge. 

According  to  ancient  fable,  Kronos  is  married  to  Rhea  (oi 
Succession ),  and  with  them  commence  a new  generation  of 
gods,  by  whom  the  former,  in  future  times,  are  to  be  de- 
prived of  their  power.  Lasting  forms  now  gain  the  superi- 
ority ; yet  not  without  a long  struggle  against  all-devour- 
ing Chaos,  and  all-destroying  Time,  of  which  Saturn  him- 
self is  a symbol.  He  creates  and  destroys  ; therefore  it  is 
allegorically  said,  that  he  devours  his  own  children,  and 
even  the  stones,  because  he  consumes  the  most  durable 
substances 

Fable  says,  that  his  mother,  Earth,  had  predicted  to  him 
that  one  of  his  sons  would  deprive  him  of  his  authority, 
and  therefore  he  swallowed  his  own  children  as  soon  as 
they  were  born.  Thus  the  crime  which  he  had  committed 
against  his  father  was  revenged.  For  as  Uranos  formerly 
dreaded,  so  Kronos  now  dreads  seditious  power.  And  while 
he  reigned  over  his  brothers,  the  Titans,  he,  in  the  same 
manner  as  his  father  had  done,  keeps  the  hundred  armed 
giants  and  Cyclopes  imprisoned  in  Tartaros.  He  fears 
ruin  from  his  own  children.  The  new-born  creatures  still 
rise  against  the  source  of  creation  that  threatens  to  swallow' 
them  up  again.  Even  as  Ge  formerly  groaned  on  account 
of  her  children’s  imprisonment,  so  Rhea  now  laments  the 
cruelty  of  her  husband — the  all  destroying  power  that 
spares  not  his  own  creations.  When,  therefore,  the  time 


KRONOS  OR  SATURN 


61 


came  in  which  she  was  to  become  the  mother  of  Jupiter, 
the  future  ruler  of  gods  and  men,  she  implored  Earth  and 
the  starry  Heaven,  for  the  preservation  of  her  child.  But 
the  ancient  primitive  deities  were  deprived  of  government, 
and  the  only  influence  left  them  was  in  prophecies  and 
counsel.  The  supplicated  parents,  therefore,  advised  their 
daughter  to  conceal  her  son  as  soon  as  it  should  be  born,  - 
in  a fertile  part  of  the  island  of  Crete. 

Wild,  roving  Fancy,  now  fixing  herself  upon  a certain 
spot  of  earth,  finds  on  this  island,  where  the  divine  child 
is  to  be  reared,  her  first  resting-place. 

By  the  advice  of  her  mother,  Bhea  presented  a stone 
to  Kronos  instead  of  her  new-born  child.  The  stratagem 
was  successful ; and  by  means  of  this  stone  so  often  men- 
tioned by  the  ancients,  bounds  were  set  to  destruction  ; 
the  destroying  power  had,  for  the  first  time,  taken  death 
instead  of  life ; and  thus  the  latter  gained  time  to  rise,  se- 
cretly, as  it  were,  to  light,  in  order  to  form  and  unfold 
itself.  But  it  is  not  yet  secure  from  the  persecutions 
springing  from  the  very  source  whence  it  derives  its  origin 
Therefore  the  tutors  of  the  child,  the  Curetes,  whose  na 
ture  as  well  as  origin  are  enveloped  in  mysterious  dark 
ness,  make  a continual  noise  with  their  shields  and  speara 
lest  Kronos  should  hear  the  noise  of  the  crying  infant. 

The  education  of  Jupiter  on  the  island  of  Crete  form* 
one  of  the  most  attractive  fictions  of  the  imagination. 

The  goat  Amalthea,  which  was  afterwards  placed  among 
the  stars,  and  whose  horn  became  the  symbol  of  plenty, 
suckles  him  with  her  milk.  Doves  bring  him  nourishment ; 
golden-colored  bees  carry  him  honey  j and  the  nymphs  of 
the  wood  are  his  nurses.  The  physical,  as  well  as  intellec- 
tual powers  of  this  future  king  of  the  gods  and  men, 
rapidly  develope  themselves.  The  old  realm  of  Kronos 
approaches  its  end  ; — and,  in  addition  to  Jupiter,  five  more 


62 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


of  his  children  are  saved  from  destruction:  viz.  Vesta, 
Ceres,  Neptune,  Juno  and  Pluto. 

United  with  them,  Jupiter,  after  having  delivered  the 
Cyclopes  out  of  prison,  and  received  from  them  the  thun- 
derbolts, declares  war  against  Kronos  and  the  Titans.  And 
now  the  modern  gods,  the  descendants  of  Kronos  and 
Rhea,  separate  themselves  from  the  ancient  deities  or 
Titans,  the  children  of  Uranos  and  Ge. 

The  golden  years  of  mortal  men  were  placed  by  Fancy 
in  those  times  when  Jupiter  did  not  yet  rule  with  his  thun- 
der ; under  the  reign  of  Saturn,  imagination  collected  to- 
gether all  that  is  desirable  to  man  but  gone  to  return  no 
more. 

After  having  been  deprived  of  his  destructive  power, 
Saturn  escaped  the  fate  of  the  other  Titans,  and 

t(  Fled  over  Adria  to  the  Hesperian  fields.” 

There,  in  the  plains  of  Latium,  surrounded  by  high  moun- 
tains, he  concealed  himself,  and  transferred  thither  the 
golden  age,  that  happy  period,  when  mankind  lived  in  a 
state  of  perfect  equality  and  all  things  were  in  common. 
He  is  said  to  have  arrived  in  a ship  at  the  Tiber,  in  the 
dominions  of  J anus,  and  in  union  with  him  to  have  reigned 
over  men  with  wisdom  and  benignity. 

This  fiction  is  extremely  beautiful  and  attractive,  be- 
cause of  the  unexpected  transition  from  war  and  destruc- 
tion, to  peace  and  the  quiet  exercise  of  justice  and  benevo* 
lence.  While  J upiter,  still  in  danger  of  being  deprived  of 
his  usurped  authority,  is  hurling  thunderbolts  against  his 
foes,  Saturn,  far  from  the  scene  of  violence,  has  arrived  in 
the  quiet  fields  of  Latium,  where,  under  his  reign,  those 
happy  times  pass  away  which  are  celebrated  in  song,  as  a 
good  that  is  passed  and  gone,  and  now  sought  for  in  vain. 

Saturn’s  time  was  the  grey  time  of  yore ; he  swallowed 
his  own  children,  buried  in  oblivion  the  fleeting  years*  and 


XR0N0S  OR  SATURN. 


63 


left  no  trace  of  bloody  wars,  destroyed  cities,  and  crushed 
nations,  which  constitute  the  chief  subjects  of  history  ever 
since  men  began  to  record  the  events  of  the  world.  All 
that  happy  time,  when  liberty  arid  equality,  justice  and 
virtue,  were  still  reigning,  men  lived  like  the  gods  in  per- 
fect security,  without  pains  and  cares,  and  exempt  from  the 
burdens  of  old  age.  The  soil  of  the  earth  gave  them  fruits 
without  laborious  cultivation  ; unacquainted  with  sickness, 
they  died  away  as  if  overtaken  with  sweet  slumber ; and 
when  the  lap  of  earth  received  their  dust,  the  souls  of 
the  deceased,  enveloped  in  light  air,  remained  as  genii  with 
the  survivors. 

In  this  manner  the  poets  portray  those  golden  times  on 
which  imagination,  wearied  with  the  scenes  of  the  busy 
world,  dwells  with  so  much  delight. 

Saturnalia  were  festivals  celebrated  in  honor  of  Saturn, 
and  were  instituted  long  before  the  foundation  of  Rome, 
in  commemoration  of  the  freedom  and  equality  that  ex- 
isted among  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  during  the  golden 
reign  of  Saturn. 

This  festival  was  celebrated  in  December,  and  at  first 
lasted  but  one  day  (the  19th);  it  was  then  extended  to 
three,  and  subsequently,  by  order  of  Caligula  and  Claudi- 
us, to  seven.  This-  celebration  was  remarkable  for  the  lib- 
erty that  universally  prevailed  during  its  continuance. 
Servants  were  then  allowed  freedom  with  their  masters; 
slaves  were  at  liberty  to  be  unruly  without  fear  of  pun- 
ishment; and  until  the  expiration  of  the  festival,  wore  a 
cap  on  the  head  as  a badge  of  freedom  and  equality.  Ani 
mosity  ceased  : no  criminals  were  executed  ; nor  was  war 
ever  declared  during  the  Saturnalia,  but  every  thing  gave 
way  to  mirth  and  merriment.  Schools  were  closed  ; the 
senate  did  not  sit  ; and  friends  made  presents  to  each 
other.  It  was  also  the  custom  to  send  wax  tapers  to 


64 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


friends  as  an  expression  of  good  feeling  ; for  the  Romans, 
as  a particular  respect  to  this  deity,  kept  torches  and  ta- 
pers continually  burning  upon  his  altars. 

Among  the  Romans,  the  priest  always  performed  the 
sacrifices  with  his  head  uncovered,  a custom  never  observed 
before  any  other  god. 

Fetters  were  hung  on  his  statues  in  commemoration  of 
the  chains  he  had  worn  when  imprisoned  by  Jupiter.  From 
this  circumstance,  slaves  who  obtained  their  liberty,  gen- 
erally dedicated  their  fetters  to  him.  During  the  celebra- 
tion of  the  Saturnalia,  the  chains  were  taken  from  the 
statues,  to  intimate  the  freedom  and  independence  that 
mankind  enjoyed  during  the  golden  age. 

In  his  temple,  and  under  his  protection,  the  Romans 
placed  their  treasury,  and  also  laid  up  the  rolls  contain- 
ing the  names  of  their  people,  because,  in  his  time,  no 
one  was  defrauded,  and  no  theft  was  ever  committed. 

Saturn  is  generally  represented  by  the  ancients,  as  an 
old  man,  bent  with  age  and  infirmity ; he  holds  the  sickle 
or  scythe  given  him  by  his  mother,  and  a serpent  biting  its 
own  tail,  which  is  an  emblem  of  time  and  the  revolution 
of  the  year  : sometimes,  he  is  leaning  on  his  sickle  and 
clothed  in  tattered  garments;  to  these  were  added'wings, 
and  feet  of  wool,  to  express  his  fleet  and  silent  course. 
Upon  ancient  gems,  he  is  sometimes  represented  with  a 
scythe  in  his  hand,  and  leaning  on  the  prow  of  a ship,  on 
the  side  of  which  rises  part  of  an  edifice  and  a wall.  This 
is  probably  in  allusion  to  Saturn’s  having  built  the  old 
city  of  Saturnia,  near  the  Tiber,  on  the  hills  where  Rome 
was  afterwards  founded.  In  this  manner,  Saturn  some- 
times appears  as  a symbol  of  all-destroying  time,  and  some- 
times, as  a king  who  once  reigned  in  Latium. 

In  the  representations  of  the  ancient  deities,  the  imagi- 
nation of  the  poet  plays  with  grand  images  only.  Its  ob* 


ANCIENT  DEITIES. 


65 


jects  are  the  great  spectacles  which  nature  exhibits — tho 
sky  and  the  earth,  the  sea  and  the  seditious  elements; 
represented  under  the  images  of  the  Titans,  the  beaming 
sun  and  the  shining  moon  ; all  which  objects,  being  en- 
dowed with  personality  by  a few  striking  features,  afford 
better  materials  for  poetry  than  for  plastic  art. 

Out  of  the  mist  which  envelopes  these  beings  the  more 
modern  divine  appearances  spring  forth  in  clear  light,  and 
distinct  forms.  Now,  we  behold  Jove,  the  mighty  god  of 
thunder,  writh  the  eagle  at  his  feet ; Neptune,  the  shaker  of 
the  earth,  with  his  trident;  the  majestic  Juno,  accompa- 
nied with  her  peacock  ; Apollo  in  eternal  youth,  with  his 
silver  bow  ; the  blue-eyed  Minerva,  with  helmet  and  spear  ; 
the  chaste  Diana,  with  her  bow  and  arrow  ; Mars,  the  god 
of  war  ; and  Mercury,  the  swift  messenger  of  the  divini- 
ties ; by  means  of  plastic  art,  these  modern  deities  gain  dis- 
tinct forms,  and  their  individual  power  and  majesty  thus 
embodied,  and  placed  in  temples  and  sacred  groves,  became 
to  mortals  an  object  of  religious  veneration  and  worship. 

But  the  pristine  deities  were,  in  a certain  respect,  the 
models  for  the  modern.  Fancy  merely  caused  the  sublime 
objects  of  religious  veneration  that  already  existed,  to  be 
regenerated  in  a new  and  youthful  form ; ascribing  to  them 
descent,  name,  and  native  place,  in  order  to  unite  them 
more  intimately  with  the  ideas  and  fates  of  mortals.  But 
in  the  productions  of  Fancy,  she  does  not  bind  herself  to  a 
certain  and  fixed  series  of  beings,  therefore  wre  sometimes 
find  the  same  deity  under  different  forms.  For  the  ideas  of 
divine,  supernatural  power  always  existed  ; but  in  the  course 
of  time,  they  became  so  blended  with  stories  of  human  life, 
that  in  the  magic  mirror  of  the  dark  ages  of  antiquity,  almost 
all  divine  images  are  repeated  as  in  a magnifying  reflector; 
in  this  contexture  of  several  fables,  the  imagination  found 
more  ample  scope;  a circumstance  by  which  the  poets  of  all 
ages  did  not  fail  to  profit. 


66 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


Henceforth  the  history  of  the  gods  is  mingled  with 
that  of  men.  The  wars  among  the  former  having  ceased, 
there  is  now  nothing  worthy  their  attention  but  the  lives 
and  fates  of  mortals,  with  which  they  seem  to  trifle ; 
arbitrarily  exalting  the  one,  and  depressing  the  other,  yet 
at  the  same  time  assisting  heroes  of  eminent  virtue  and 
valor,  and  raising  them  to  immortality. 


PART  SECOND. 


MODERN,  SUPERIOR  DEITIES 


ZEUS  OR  JUPITER. 

Hesiod,  in  his  Theogonia,  invokes  the  Muses  who  in- 
habit the  heavenly  mansions,  and  whose  knowledge  of  gen 
eration  and  birth  he  had  formerly  sung. 

“ Tell,  ye  celestial  powers,”  continues  the  poet,  “ how 
first  the  gods  and  world  were  made  ; the  rivers,  and  the 
boundless  sea  with  its  raging  surge.  Also,  the  bright, 
shining  stars,  and  wide  stretched  heaven  above,  and  all 
the  gods  that  sprang  from  them,  givers  of  good  things  ?” 

The  Muses  answer,  t:  First  of  all  existed  Chaos;  next 
in  order  the  broad-bosomed  Earth  ; then  Love  appeared, 
the  most  beautiful  of  immortals.  From  Chaos,  sprang 
Erebus  and  dusky  Night,  and  from  Night  and  Erebus, 
came  Ether  and  smiling  Lay. 

“ But  first  the  Earth  produced  the  starry  Heavens, 
commensurate  to  herself ; and  the  barren  Sea,  without  mu- 
tual love.  Then,  conjoined  with  Uranos,  she  produced  the 
tremendous  Titans  ; after  whom,  Time,  crooked  in  counsel, 
was  produced,  the  youngest,  and  most  dreadful  of  her 
children.  The  Cyclops  were  next  engendered ; Brontes, 
Steropes,  and  Arges,  and  besides  these,  three  other  rueful 
eons  were  born  to  Heaven  and  Earth,  Cottus,  Briareus, 


68 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


and  Gyes,  with  fifty  heads  and  a hundred  hands  ; haughty, 
hateful,  and  at  enmity  with  their  father  from  the  day  of 
their  birth — for  which  cause,  as  soon  as  they  appeared,  he 
hid  them  in  the  grottoes  and  caves  of  the  Earth,  and  never 
permitted  them  to  see  the  light.  Meanwhile,  Oceanos 
married  to  Tethys,  the  eldest  of  the  Titans,  produced  the 
rivers  and  fountains,  with  three  thousand  daughters,  pro- 
perties and  productions  of  moisture.  Heaven’s  usurping 
son.  Time,  marrying  the  second  sister,  Rhea,  had  three 
female  children,  Yesta,  Ceres,  and  Juno,  and  as  many 
males;  Pluto,  Neptune,  and  designing  Jove,  Father  of 
gods  and  men. 

44  No  sooner  was  this  sovereign  source  of  light  brought 
forth,  that  is,  disembarrassed  of  heterogeneous  parts,  than 
he  seized  the  reins  of  the  universe,  that  under  him  at  last 
assumed  a stable  form.  For  associating  with  Metis  (coun- 
sel, contrivance,  thought),  by  her  supreme  direction  he 
brought  his  inhuman  parent’s  progeny  to  light,  and  settled 
his  congenial  powers,  each  in  their  respective  dignity ; 
Ceres  to  fructify  the  Earth;  Juno  to  impregnate  the  air; 
Neptune  to  rule  the  sea ; and  Pluto  to  reign  in  the  regions 
below;  while  Saturn’s  first-born,  Vesta,  remained  unmoved, 
the  coercive  band  of  the  immense  machine. 

44  But  in  this  settlement  he  met  with  cruel  opposition. 
The  Titan  gods  (properties  of  matter)  combined  against 
him,  and  in  a long  and  furious  war  endeavored  to  drive 
him  from  the  throne  of  Heaven,  and  reverse  the  recent 
dignities  of  the  upstart  Saturnian  race.  And  now,  the 
mighty  frame  had  fallen  into  pristine  Chaos,  if,  prompted 
by  his  all-wise  associate,  he  had  not  first  made  his  kin- 
dred gods  partakers  with  himself  of  Nectar  and  Ambrosia 
(incense  and  immortality), *and  then  released  from  dark- 
some durance,  the  predominant  igneous  powers,  sons  of 
Heaven  and  Earth,  Cottus,  Briareus,  and  Gyes,  whom  he 
called  up  to  light  and  made  his  allies  in  the  war.  By  their 


ZEUS  OR  JUPITER. 


60 


irrebihi.il/le  strength,  he  at  last  vanquished  the  Titan  gods, 
and  confined  them  fast-bound,  in  a prison  waste  and  wild, 
as  far  under  the  Earth  as  Heaven  is  above  it ; a bulwark 
of  brass,  with  three-fold  night  brooding  over  it,  and  its 
gates  of  adamant  guarded  by  three  enormous  brothers, 
jailors  of  Almighty  Jove.” 

Here  are  the  seeds  of  all  things,  the  roots  of  the  opaque 
Earth,  the  barren  sea,  and  the  beginnings  and  bounds  of 
the  various  orders  of  beings,  all  now  shut  up  by  the  will 
of  Jove,  in  the  bottomless  chasm,  where  darkness  reigns 
and  tempests  howl,  tremendous  to  the  gods  themselves. 
And  Fable  says,  that  things  continued  in  this  state  until 
Honor  and  Reverence  begot  Majesty,  who  filled  Heaven 
and  Earth  the  day  she  was  born  ; Awe  and  Dread  sat 
down  by  her,  and  all  three  being  defended  by  Jove’s  thun- 
ders from  the  attacks  of  the  Titans,  have  ever  since  re- 
mained by  the  side  of  this  god,  who  now  rules  supreme, 
having  rightly  arranged  all  the  immortals,  and  allotted  to 
each  their  respective  dignity. 

But  after  having  subdued  his  greatest  adversaries,  new 
dangers  arose  to  Jupiter  from  his  own  resolutions.  He 
married  Metis,  daughter  of  Oceanos  ; and  it  was  predicted 
by  an  oracle,  that  she  would  have  a son  who  should  be  en- 
dowed with  his  mother’s  strength  and  his  father’s  wisdom, 
and  rule  over  all  the  gods.  To  prevent  this,  Jupiter,  with 
flattering  allurements,  drew  Metis  over  into  his  own  per- 
son, and  soon  after  brought  forth  Minerva,  who,  as  a full- 
grown  virgin  in  complete  panoply,  sprang  from  his  head. 

A similar  danger  threatened  him  when  he  wished  to 
marry  Thetis,  who,  according  to  another  oracle,  would  have 
a son  who  should  be  more  powerful  than  his  father. 

In  this  manner  these  fictions  represent  that  a mighty 
being  always  dreads  a still  mightier  ; for  with  the  idea 
of  unlimited  power,  every  fiction  ceases,  Fancy  having  no 
■farther  scope.  But  to  have  a just  conception  of  Jove. 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLG  1Y. 


let  us  first  recollect  Zeno’s  definition  of  nature — that  it  is 
a plastic  fire  ever  generating  by  rule  ; and  then  obey  the 
most  philosophical  of  all  poets,  when  he  bids  us 

“Look  up,  and  view  the  immense  expanse  of  Heaven, 

The  boundless  Ether  in  his  genial  arms 
Clasping  the  Earth.  Him  call  thou 
God  and  Jove.” 

We  can  judge  of  the  propriety  of  his  claim  to  dominion 
upon  reading  what  Zeno  considers  one  of  the  highest  steps 
in  the  scale  of  creation.  “ Ether,”  says  he,  “ or  pure,  in- 
visible fire,  the  most  subtle  and  elastic  of  all  bodies,  seems 
to  pervade  and  expand  itself  throughout  the  universe.  If 
air  is  the  immediate  agent  or  instrument  in  the  productions 
of  nature,  the  pure,  invisible  fire  is  the  first  natural  mover 
or  spring  whence  the  air  derives  its  power.  This  mighty 
agent  is  every  where  at  hand,  ready  to  break  forth  into 
action,  actuating  and  enlivening  the  whole  visible  mass, 
equally  fitted  to  produce  or  to  destroy;  distinguishing  the 
various  stages  of  nature,  keeping  up  the  perpetual  round 
of  generation  and  corruption,  pregnant  with  forms  which 
it  constantly  sends  forth  and  resorbs — so  quick  in  its  mo- 
tion, so  extensive  in  its  effects,  that  it  seems  no  other  than 
the  vegetative  soul,  or  vital  power  of  the  world.  This, 
then,  is  the  true  Zeus ; the  source  of  generation  and  prin- 
ciple of  life — that  heavenly,  ethereal,  that  is,  igneous  na- 
ture, which  spontaneously  begets  all  things,  the  supposed 
parent  of  gods  and  men ; and  Fancy  finding  nothing  in 
nature  more  pure  and  sublime  than  the  Earth  surround- 
ing ether  and  sky,  it  was  chosen  by  her  as  the  archetype 
of  the  chief  deity.” 

And  what  was  his  Hera  ? “ The  air,”  says  the  same 

author,  “ is  the  receptacle  as  well  as  source  of  all  sublunary 
forms — the  great  mass  or  Chaos  which  imparts  or  receives 
them.  The  atmosphere  that  surrounds  our  earth  contains 
a mixture  of  all  the  active,  volatile  parts  of  all  vegetables 


ZEUS  OR  JUPITER. 


71 


minerals,  fossils,  and  animals.  Whatever' corrupts  or  ex 
Laics,  being  acted  on  by  solar  heat  produces  within  itself 
all  sorts  of  chemical  productions,  dispersing  again  theii 
salts  and  spirits  in  new  generations.  The  air,  therefore,  is 
an  active  mass  of  numberless  different  principles  ; the  gen- 
eral source  of  corruption  and  generation  in  which  the  seeds 
of  all  things  seem  to  lie  latent,  ready  to  appear  and  pro- 
duce their  kind  whenever  they  shall  light  on  a proper 
matrix.  The  whole  atmosphere  seems  alive — there  is  every 
where  acid  to  corrode  and  seed  to  engender  in  this  common 
receptacle  of  all  vivifying  principles  ; and  here  is  the  foun- 
dation of  the  marriage  made  by  the  poets  between  these 
kindred  gods.  And  when  we  consider  at  what  season  of 
the  year  the  air  is  impregnated  with  ethereal  seed,  when 
it  is  that  all  nature  teems  with  life,  we  shall  not  wonder  at 
the  cuckoo’s  being  the  bird  of  Hera  carved  on  the  top  of 
her  sceptre  at  Argos,  or  at  Zeus  transforming -himself 
into  the  spring’s  genial  messenger  when  he  first  enjoyed 
his  queen. 

u Truth  once  lighted  up  shines  on  every  thing  around  it, 
and  the  same  thread  of  reflection  will  guide  us  through  the 
labyrinth  of  a greater  mystery  ; for  this  matron  goddess 
and  patroness  of  marriage,  became  once  a year  a pure,  un- 
spotted virgin,  upon  bathing  herself  in  a sacred  fountain 
in  the  Argive  territory.” 

As  the  powerful  and  majestic  goddess,  Hera  typifies  the 
quick  and  rapidly  moving  energies  of  the  productive  prin- 
ciple that  clothes  the  earth  in  the  majestic  garb  of  loveli- 
ness and  beauty— and  as  the  repelling  and  unattractive 
wife  of  Zeus,  she  typifies  the  cold  frowns  and  chilling  frosts 
of  winter.  Hence  the  physical  allegories  of  their  jealous- 
ies and  quarrels. 

Hera’s  chief  archetype  was  the  atmosphere  which  encom 
passes  the  earth,  adhering  in  conjugal  union  to  the  ether 
that  rests  upon  it ; and  this  fiction  of  the  marriage  of  Zeus 


72 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


and  Hera  is  a representation  of  Fancy  according  to  human 
notions  and  human  relations ; ridiculous,  indeed,  unless 
beheld  with  the  poetical  eye  of  imagination,  that  forms  her 
gods  after  the  images  of  men,  and  her  men  after  the  images 
of  the  gods.  And  here  let  us  not  pass  an  unjust  judgment 
on  times  of  old.  Antiquity  is  not  to  be  viewed  and  ex- 
plained according  to  the  ideas  and  customs  of  modern 
times,  any  more  than  the  plays  of  childhood  by  the  ear- 
nest pursuits  of  maturer  life,  or  the  follies  of  youth  by  the 
graver  wisdom  of  old  age.  While  we  live,  as  it  were,  in 
the  age  of  reason,  the  ancients  lived  in  that  of  imagination  ; 
and  the  infinite  and  unlimited,  being  to  Fancy  a melan- 
choly object,  she  gave  life  and  animation  to  things  formed 
and  limited,  in  order  to  use  them  as  models  of  her  own 
creation.  Therefore,  to  the  boundless  mass  which  sur- 
rounds man,  the  sky,  earth,  and  sea,  the  ancients  gave  form 
and  personality.  They  endeavored  to  unite  the  beauty 
and  grace  of  formed  objects,  with  the  strength  of  the  un- 
formed and  shapeless  ; and  as  in  the  tall  and  erect  body 
of  man  the  solidity  of  the  oak  is  joined  to  the  pliancy  of 
the  sapling,  so  their  creative  genius  connected  the  power 
of  the  raging  elements,  and  the  majesty  of  the  rolling 
thunder,  with  the  majestic  form,  the  eloquent  lips,  the 
frowning  brows,  and  the  speaking  eye  of  man.  And  thus 
is  formed  the  image  of  Jupiter  Olympius  ; that  being  to 
whose  hands  imagination  intrusted  so  much  power,  must 
be  in  harmony  with  the  human  form  ; because  the  capacity 
for  thought  could  only  be  indicated  in  the  expressive  fea- 
tures of  the  human  face,  and  the  power  to  rule  and  reign 
could  be  represented  only  in  the  majestic  form  of  man. 
And  yet  the  god  must  be  the  superior  ; and  to  such  a de- 
gree rose  this  power  of  embodying  high  conceptions  in 
the  art  of  the  Greeks,  inspired  and  consecrated  as  it  was 
by  its  subjects,  that  they  exhibited  works  similar  indeed, 
but  far  superior  to  their  models  : for  while  excluding  from 


ZEUS  OR  JUPITER. 


73 


their  productions  everything  contingent,  they  at  the  same 
time  succeeded  in  uniting  all  that  is  essential  to  power, 
beauty,  and  sublimity. 

In  the  character  of  their  gods,  the  leading  idea  of  the 
ancients  was  power ; the  expression  of  which  predomi- 
nates in  their  most  sublime  formations.  The  mighty  head 
of  Zeus,  from  which  wisdom  was  created,  bends  forward, 
meditating  and  directing  the  changes  of  events,  and  pro- 
ducing their  revolutions.  Among  all  the  celestials,  the 
power  of  him  who  rules  the  thunder  is  the  most  unlimited, 
being  restricted  only  by  the  invincible  will  of  Fate,  or  the 
wiles  of  the  cunning  Hera. 

Almost  every  nation  had  its  Ju- 
piter. Among  the  first  was  Jupiter 
Ammon,  of  Libya.  His  temple,  the 
ruins  of  which  are  still  to  be  seen, 
was  in  an  oasis  or  island  of  verdure 
in  the  desert  west  of  Egypt.  Ju- 
piter Serapis,  worshipped  in  Egypt, 
was  also  very  ancient  Jupiter  Be- 
lus,  mentioned  by  Herodotus,  was 
the  Jupiter  of  the  Assyrians.  The 
Ethiopians  called  him  Assabinus, 
the  Gauls  Taranus,  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  Lower  Nile, 
Apis.  The  Romans  considered  him  the  protecting  deity  of 
their  empire,  and  styled  him  Jupiter  Capitolinus  from  his 
chief  temple  on  the  Capitoline  Hill;  Jupiter  Tonans,  or 
Thunderer;  Jupiter  Fulminans,  or  Fulgurator,  scatterer 
of  lightning. 

The  distinguishing  characteristic  in  all  representations 
of  Jupiter,  whether  by  artists  or  poets,  is  majesty;  and 
every  thing  about  him  indicates  dignity  and  authority.  His 
look  is  sometimes  intended  to  strike  the  beholder  with 
terror,  and  sometimes  with  gratitude  ; and  always  to  com- 

4 


74  GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 

mand  respect  and  veneration.  The  fulmen  in  the  band  of 
Jupiter  was  a sort  of  hieroglyphic,  having  three  different 
meanings,  according  to  the  three  ways  in  which  it  was  re- 
presented. The  first  is  a wreath  of  flame  in  a conical  shape, 
like  what  we  call  the  thunderbolt.  This  was  adapted  to 
Jupiter,  when  mild  and  calm,  and  was  held  down  in  his 
hand.  The  second  is  the  same  figure,  with  two  transverse 
darts  of  lightning,  and  sometimes  with  wings  on  each  side 
of  it,  to  denote  swiftness.  This  was  given  to  Jupiter  when 
he  was  represented  as  punishing. 

Jupiter  Pluvius 
is  represented  as 
seated  in  the  clouds, 
holding  up  his  right 
hand,  from  which 
pours  a stream  of 
rain  and  hail,  while 
his  fulmen  is  held 
down  in  his  lap. 

Jupiter  Ammon 
was  represented 
with  the  horns  of  a 
ram,  which  is  accounted  for  by  the  following  legend 
Bacchos  being  in  the  midst  of  the  sands  of  Arabia,  was 
seized  with  a thirst  so  burning,  that  he  longed  even  for  a 
drop  of  water.  Jupiter  then  presented  himself  in  the  form 
of  a ram,  and  striking  the  earth,  caused  the  grateful  liquid 
to  spring  forth  in  abundance.  To  commemorate  the  deed, 
Bacchos  erected  a temple  in  the  deserts  of  Libya,  giving  it 
the  name  of  Jupiter  Ammon,  i.  e.  Sandy . 

The  worship  offered  to  Zeus  was  the  most  solemn  of 
any  paid  to  the  heathen  deities  ; it  was  greatly  diversified 
among  different  nations,  and  the  stories  of  his  birth  in  a 
cave  on  the  island  of  Crete,  or  at  Thebes  in  Bceotia,  or 


ZEUS  OP  JUPITER. 


75 


on  a mountain  in  Arcadia,  are  but  so  many  traditions  of 
the  several  places  where  his  worship  became  famous  and 
was  celebrated  with  the  greatest  pomp  and  ceremony.  The 
reason  of  its  having  been  so  in  Crete,  is  very  evident ; for 
these  states  were  founded  by  Minos  and  Cadmos,  two  Attic 
princes,  who  introduced  their  national  rites.  But  the  Ar- 
cadians, whose  lives  were  devoted  to  war  or  pasturage,  in 
a rough,  mountainous  country,  became  afterwards  a rude 
and  fierce  people  in  comparison  to  their  neighbors,  and 
yet  they  retained  more  traditions  respecting  the  birth,  edu- 
cation, and  adventures  of  the  gods,  than  the  more  civilized 
tribes  of  the  Peloponnesus.  This  was  owing  probably  tc 
their  early  instruction  : first  by  the  descendants  of  Inachos, 
and  then  by  the  Danaides,  in  the  religion  and  rites  which 
each  brought  from  their  own  country. 

The  victims  most  commonly  offered,  were  a goat,  a sheep, 
or  a white  bull  with  gilded  horns  ; though  not  unfrequently 
the  sacrifice  consisted  only  of  flour,  salt,  or  incense. 

At  Olympia,  every  fifth  year,  the  Olympic  games  were 
celebrated  in  honor  of  Zeus.  This  festival  consisted  of 
religious  ceremonies,  athletic  contests  and  races,  and  was 
under  the  immediate  superintendence  of  the  Olympian 
Zeus.  The  exact  interval  at  which  they  recurred  was  one 
of  forty-nine  and  fifty  lunar  months  alternately ; so  that 
the  celebration  sometimes  fell  in  the  month  of  July  and 
sometimes  in  August. 

The  worship  of  Apollo  was  associated  with  that  of  Zeus, 
and  the  early  tradition  connects  Hercules  with  the  festival. 
This  is  another  proof  of  the  Dorian  origin  of  the  games,  for 
Apollo  and  Hercules  were  two  of  the  principal  deities  of 
the  Doric  race.  There  were  altars  at  Olympia  to  other 
gods,  which  were  said  to  have  been  erected  by  Hercules, 
and  at  which  the  victors  sacrificed. 

The  festival  itself  may  be  divided  into  two  parts,  the 


76 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


games  or  contests,  and  the  festival  rites  connected  with  the 
sacrifices,  with  the  processions,  and  with  the  public  ban- 
quets in  honor  of  the  conquerors.  The  conquerors  in  the 
games  and  private  individuals,  as  well  as  the  theori  or 
deputies  from  the  various  states,  offered  sacrifices  to  the 
different  gods ; but  the  chief  sacrifices  were  offered  by  the 
Eleans  in  the  name  of  the  Elean  state. 

The  contests  consisted  of  various  trials  of  strength  and 
skill,  which  were  increased  in  number  from  time  to  time. 
The  earliest  of  these  games  was  the  foot  race,  and  was  the 
only  contest  during  thirteen  Olympiads.  The  space  run 
was  the  length  of  the  stadium  in  which  the  games  were 
held,  namely,  about  six  hundred  English  feet. 

In  the  14th  Olympiad  wrestling  was  introduced  B.  0. 
708.  The  wrestlers  were  matched  in  pairs  by  lot.  When 
there  was  an  odd  number,  the  person  who  was  left  by  the 
lot  without  an  antagonist,  wrestled  last  of  all  with  him  who 
had  conquered  the  others.  The  athlete  who  gave  his  an- 
tagonist three  throws,  gained  the  victory.  There  was 
another  kind  of  wrestling  in  which  if  the  combatant  who 
fell  could  drag  down  his  antagonist  with  him,  the  struggle 
was  continued  on  the  ground,  and  the  one  who  succeeded 
in  getting  uppermost  and  holding  the  other  down,  gained 
the  victory. 

In  the  same  year  was  introduced  the  Pentathlon,  which 
consisted  of  five  exercises,  viz.  leaping,  running,  throwing 
the  quoit,  throwing  the  javelin,  and  wrestling.  In  leap- 
ing, they  carried  weights  in  their  hands,  or  on  their  shoul- 
ders ; and  their  object  was  to  leap  the  greatest  distance 
without  regard  to  height.  The  Discus  or  quoit  was  a 
heavy  weight  of  a circular  or  oval  shape ; neither  this  nor 
the  javelin  was  aimed  at  a mark ; but  he  who  threw  the 
furthest  was  the  victor.  In  order  to  gain  a victory  in  the 
Pentathlon,  it  was  necessary  to  conquer  in  each  of  the  five 


OLYMPIC  GAMES 


77 


parts.  Boxing  was  introduced  in  the  23d  Olympiad  (B.  C. 
688).  The  boxers  had  their  hands  and  arms  covered  with 
thongs  of  leather  called  cestus,  which  served  to  defend  them 
as  well  as  to  annoy  their  antagonists.  The  Pancratium 
consisted  of  boxing  and  wrestling  combined.  In  this  ex- 
ercise, and  in  the  cestus,  the  vanquished  combatant  ac- 
knowledged his  defeat  by  some  sign ; and  this  is  supposed 
to  be  the  reason  why  the  Spartans  were  forbidden  by  the 
laws  of  Lycurgus  to  practise  them,  as  it  would  have  been 
esteemed  a disgrace  to  his  country,  that  a Spartan  should 
confess  himself  defeated. 

The  horse  races  were  of  two  kinds,  the  chariot  race  and 
the  horse  race.  The  chariot  race,  generally  with  four 
horse  chariots,  was  introduced  in  the  25th  Olympiad  (B.  C. 
680).  The  course  had  two  goals  in  the  middle,  at  the 
distance  probably  of  two  stadia  from  each  other.  The 
chariots  started  from  one  of  these  goals,  passed  round  the 
othe?.  and  returned  along  the  other  side  of  the  Hippodrome. 
This  circuit  was  made  twelve  times  ; and  the  great  art  of 
the  charioteer  consisted  in  turning  as  close  as  possible  to 
the  goals,  but  without  running  against  them  or  agaiust  the 
other  chariots.  The  places  at  the  starting  post  were 
assigned  to  the  chariots  by  lot.  There  was  another  race 
between  chariots  with  two  horses,  and  a race  between  cha- 
riots drawn  by  mules  was  introduced  in  the  70th  Olympiad 
and  abolished  in  the  84th. 

There  were  two  sorts  of  races  on  horseback — one  in 
which  each  competitor  rode  one  horse  throughout  the 
course,  and  another,  in  which  as  the  horse  approached  the 
goal,  the  rider  leaped  from  his  back  and  keeping  hold  of 
the  bridle,  finished  the  course  on  foot.  In  the  37th  Olym- 
piad (B.  C.  632),  running  on  foot  and  wrestling  between 
boys  was  introduced.  There  were  also  contests  in  poetry 
and  music  at  the  Olympian  festivals. 

The  Hellanodicse,  or  judges  in  the'  Olympic  games,  were 


78  GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 

chosen  by  lot  from  the  whole  body  of  the  Eleans.  Their 
office  probably  lasted  only  for  one  festival,  during  which 
time  it  was  their  duty  to  see ‘that  all  the  laws  regulating 
the  games  were  observed  by  the  competitors  and  others 
to  determine  the  prizes,  and  to  give  them  to  the  conquerors. 
An  appeal  lay  from  their  decision  to  the  Elean  Senate. 
Their  office  was  considered  most  honorable.  Their  dress 
was  a purple  robe,  and  in  the  stadium  a special  seat  was 
appropriated  to  them.  Under  the  direction  of  the  Heb 
lanodicse  was  a certain  number  of  deputies,  who  formed  a 
kind  of  police,  who  carried  into  execution  the  commands 
of  the  Hellanodicae. 

All  persons  were  admitted  to  a contest  in  the  Olympic 
games  who  could  prove  that  they  were  free  men,  that  they 
were  of  genuine  Hellenic  blood,  and  that  their  characters 
were  free  from  infamy  and  immorality.  So  great  was  the 
importance  attached  to  the  second  of  these  particulars,  that 
the  kings  of  Macedon  were  obliged  to  prove  their  Hel- 
lenic descent  before  gaining  admittance.  The  equestrian 
contests  were  necessarily  confined  to  the  wealthy,  who  dis- 
played in  them  great  magnificence  ; but  the  poorest  citizens 
could  contend  in  the  athletic  contests.  The  owners  of 
the  chariots  and  horses  were  not  obliged  to  contend  in  per- 
son ; and  the  wealthy  vied  with  one  another  in  the  mag- 
nificence of  the  chariots  and  horses  which  they  sent  to 
the  games.  Alcibiades  sent  seven  chariots  to  one  festival, 
a greater  number  than  had  ever  been  sent  by  a private 
person ; three  of  them  obtained  prizes.  The  only  prize 
given  to  the  conqueror  was  a garland  of  wild  olive.* 

The  6-reek  kings  in  Sicily,  Macedon,  and  other  parts  of 
the  Hellenic  world,  contended  with  one  another  for  the 
prize  in  the  equestrian  contests. 

The  Olympic  games  were  celebrated  with  much  splendor 


* For  a full  account  of  Olympia,  see  large  edition. 


HERA  OR  JtTNO. 


79 


under  the  Roman  Emperors,  by  many  of  whom  great  privi- 
leges were  awarded  to  the  conquerors. 

In  the  sixteenth  year  of  the  reign  of  Theodosius,  A.  D 
394  (01.  293),  the  Olympic  festival  was  for  ever  abolished. 

The  description  of  the  Olympic  games  will,  for  the  most 
part,  serve  also  for  the  other  three  great  festivals  of  Greece, 
viz.  the  Isthmian,  Nemean,  and  Pythian  games. 

HERA  OR  JUNO. 

By  the  poets,  Hera  is  represented  as  the  personification 
of  sublime  beauty  united  with  power  ; and  in  her  person  is 
represented  that  high,  commanding  order  of  beauty  which 
is  superior  to  the  delicacy  of  female  charms  and  does  not 
need  them.  She  is  called  the  reigning,  the  large-eyed, 
the  white-armed  ; epithets  which  tend  to  inspire  us  with 
admiration  rather  than  love.  It  is  not  the  soft  and  tender 
eye  that  graces  her  image  ; it  is  greatness  and  majesty 
commanding  awe  and  veneration  ; and  of  all  the  charms 
which  constitute  the  reigrling  queen  of  heaven,  poetry 
celebrates  none  but  the  powerful  arm.  And  indeed,  Hera 
acts  a part  in  nearly  all  the  violent  events  in  heaven  and  on 
earth. 

The  raging  elements  in  which  the  whole  train  of  human 
passions  is  but  a copy  in  miniature,  are  personated  in  her ; 
for  the  violence  of  the  elements  is  chiefly  displayed  in  the 
lower  atmosphere.  Here  they  come  in  collision  and  inter- 
fere with  each  other  ; here  they  rob,  and  spoil,  and  breathe 
revenge  ; the  rock  groans  in  the  furious  sea ; and  under 
the  blast  of  the  storm  the  billows  howl ; here  is  a perpetual 
round  of  formation  and  destruction  ; — here  is  the  theatre 
of  insurrection  and  war ; the  seat  of  wrath,  and  mourning, 
and  misery ; here  must  Hecuba  pull  out  her  grey  hairs,  and 
Troy  become  a prey  to  the  flames. 

But  above  the  atmosphere,  in  the  pure  ether,  every  thing 
is  quiet,  permanent,  and  regular; — there,  the  celestial 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


541 


globes  complete  their  courses  undisturbed,  and  nothing 
interrupts  the  music  of  the  spheres  ; — the  top  of  high  Olym- 
pos  rises  above  the  clouds  into  the  still  ether,  and  thither 
imagination  transfers  the  abodes  of  the  blessed  immortals, 
who,  exempt  from  care  and  pain,  sip  the  sweet  nectar,  while 
charmed  with  the  sound  of  Apollo’s  lyre. 

In  this  manner,  Fancy  always  unites  the  human  form  of 
her  deities  with  the  heavenly  archetype.  The  swan  in  the 
bosom  of  Leda,  as  the  blue  ether  surrounds  the  earth  ; and 
the  ether  opens  again  to  show  the  ruler  of  Olympos  with 
his  ambrosial  locks,  holding  the  nectar  cup  in  his  hand. 
Hera  surrounds  the  globe  with  a transparent  mist,  which, 
pierced  by  the  glittering  rays  of  the  sun,  produces  the 
rainbow,  the  archetype  of  Iris,  Hera’s  swift  messenger ; 
who,  standing  in  the  clouds,  announced  to  mankind  the 
approach  of  the  august  queen  of  heaven ; and  the  same 
Hera  wanders  on  foot  through  this  very  mist  to  visit  her 
foster-parents  at  the  bounds  of  the  earth.  But  Fancy, 
not  choosing  to  dwell  long  on  these  objects,  which  she  in 
a certain  manner  attempts  to  explain  by  her  personifica- 
tions, rather  delights  to  roam  among  the  beings  to  whom 
she  has  given  personality;  and  represents  Hera  as  oppos- 
ing  herself  to  the  all-powerful  Zeus,  by  whom  she  is  sus- 
pended from  Olympos  on  a chain  into  her  own  dominion, 
the  atmosphere,  with  an  anvil  fastened  to  either  foot.  The 
heavenly  and  sublime  is  thus  made  to  suffer  the  disgrace 
of  being  lowered  down,  and  all  celestials  mourned  at  the 
sight ; but  Fancy,  the  earth-born  daughter,  delights  in  the 
sport. 

The  worship  of  Hera  was  solemn  and  universal  in  the 
heathen  world.  Young  geese  and  the  hawk  as  well  as  the 
peacock  were  sacred  to  her ; and  of  plants,  the  clittany,  the 
poppy,  and  the  lily.  The  ancients  offered  on  her  altars 
a sow  and  a ewe  lamb  the  first  of  every  month. 


82 


GRECIAN  AND  ROM  IN  MYTHOLOGY'. 


Argos  is  the  first  place  mentioned  by  Hera  herself  as 
among  her  favored  and  beloved  cities.  Urging  Zeus  tc 
consent.  to  the  downfall  of  Troy,  a city  which  she  hated, 
together  with  Priam’s  family,  because  of  the  decision  of 
Paris  on  Mount  Ida,  she  endeavored  to  carry  her  point 
by  a kind  of  barter ; “ There  are  three  cities,”  said  she, 
“ which  are  dearest  of  all  to  me,  Argos,  Sparta,  and  My- 
cenae; nevertheless,  I willingly  part  with  them,  I abandon 
them  entirely  to  thy  will,  if  thou  wilt  consent  to  the  down- 
fall of  Troy.”  (II.  iv.  50.) 

The  reason  of  this  partiality  to  Argos,  was  the  extraordi- 
nary veneration  paid  to  her  by  its  inhabitants.  There,  par- 
ticular festivals  were  celebrated  in  her  honor,  which  from  her 
Greek  name  Hera,  were  called  Heraea. 

The  games  and  contests  of  the  Heraea  took  place  in  the 
stadium,  near  the  temple,  on  the  road  to  the  Acropolis.  A 
brazen  shield  was  fixed  in  a place  above  the  theatre,  which 
was  scarcely  accessible  to  any  one,  and  the  young  man 
who  succeeded  in  displacing  it,  received  a shield  and  a. 
garland  of  myrtle  as  a prize. 

The  Argives  always  reckoned  their  year  from  her  priest- 
hood, as  the  Athenians  from  their  Archons,  and  the  El- 
mans from  their  consuls. 

Festivals  were  celebrated  in  honor  of  Hera  in  all  the 
towns  of  Greece,  where  the  worship  of  the  divinity  was 
introduced.  At  JBgina,  the  Heraea,  or  Ilecatombaea,  were 
celebrated  in  the  same  manner  as  those  at  Argos.  The 
Heraea  of  Samos  were  derived  from  Argos,  and  were,  per- 
haps, the  most  brilliant  of  all  the  festivals  of  this  divinity. 
A magnificent  procession  consisting  of  maidens  and  mar- 
ried women  in  splendid  attire  and  floating  hair,  together 
with  men  and  youths  in  armor,  went  to  the  temple  of  Hera, 
and  on  arriving  within  the  precincts,  the  men  deposited 
their  armor,  and  prayers  and  vows  were  offered  to  the  god- 
dess. 


HERA  OR  JUNO.  83 

The  ITersea  of  Elis  were  celebrated  every  fifth  year, 
chiefly  by  maidens,  conducted  by  sixteen  matrons,  who 
wove  the  sacred  Peplus  for  the  goddess.  But  before  the 
commencement  of  these  solemnities,  the  matrons  sacrificed 
a pig,  and  purified  themselves  in  the  well  of  Peoria.  One 
of  the  principal  solemnities,  was  a race  of  the  maidens  in 
the  stadium ; for  which  purpose,  they  were  divided  into 
three  classes  according  to  their  age ; the  youngest  ran 
first,  and  the  eldest  last.  The  winner  of  the  prize  received 
a garland  of  olive  boughs,  together  with  part  of  a cow 
which  was  sacrificed  to  Hera.  She  was  also  allowed  to  dedi- 
cate her  own  painted  likeness  in  the  temple  of  the  god- 
dess. The  sixteen  matrons  had  each  a female  attendant, 
and  performed  two  dances. 

Juno,  as  well  as  Jupiter,  appeared  in  a variety  of  charac- 
ters. Among  the  Romans,  the  favorite  one  was  that  of 
Juno  Matrona,  dressed  in  a long  robe;  and  thus  their  em- 
presses were  often  represented.  She  was  regarded  as  the 
protectress  of  married  women,  and  was  invoked  by  the  Ro- 
mans under  the  name  of  J uno  Lucina. 

She  is  generally  represented  by  plastic  art  in  her  whole 
regal  splendor,  sitting  upon  a throne  or  on  the  eagle  of  Ju- 
piter, holding  in  one  hand  a sceptre,  and  in  the  other  a 
•veil  spangled  with  stars  which  flows  round  her  head. 
Among  earthly  appearances,  the  tail  of  the  peacock  bears 
the  strongest  resemblance  to  the  bright  colors  of  the  rain- 
bow; therefore  the  chariot  of  Juno  is  represented  a»  drawD 
through  the  air  by  those  brilliant  and  majestic  birds. 


84 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


HESTIA  OR  VESTA. 

Hestia  was  said  to  trans 
fuse  the  earth  with  sacred 
warmth  ; and  her  archetype  is 
the  sacred  flame  of  life,  which 
invisibly  pervades  all  anima- 
ted beings.  As  an  emblem  of 
this  animating  and  life-nour- 
ishing warmth  in  nature,  as 
well  as  the  pure  flame  that 
quickens  the  chaste  bosom  of 
the  goddess,  a perpetual  fire 
was  preserved  in  her  temples. 

This  fire  signified  that  pure, 
unmixed,  benign  flame  that 
quickens  the  chaste  bosom  of 
the  goddess,  and  is  so  neces- 
sary to  us,  that  human  life  can- 
not exist  without  it ; for  this 
latent  heat  being  diffused 
through  all  parts  of  the  hu- 
man body,  quickens,  cherishes, 
refreshes,  and  preserves  it ; 
a flame  really  sacred  and  di- 
vine, moving  and  actuating 
the  whole  system  of  life,  and 
expiring  only  with  its  last 
breath. 

Poets  say,  that  as  it  was 
by  the  assistance  of  Hestia, 
the  enlivening,  igneous  prin- 
ciple, that  Zeus  obtained  the 
government  of  the  universe,- 
he  allowed  her  to  choose  her  own  honors  and  privileges; 
being  incapable  of  associating  with  any  other  element,  she 


IIESTIA  OR  VESTA. 


85 


made  choice  of  perpetual  virginity,  and  the  first  share 
of  every  offering  made  to  the  other  gods.  Her  priestessesj 
therefore,  must  be  pure,  unspotted  virgins,  and  allowed 
the  precedency  at  all  feasts  and  sacrifices. 

A pure  feeling  of  gratitude  led  the  ancients  to  acknow- 
ledge each  benefit  of  nature  by  itself,  under  some  signifi- 
cant emblem  ; and  it  was  a particularly  beautiful  idea  to 
cherish  and  preserve,  as  it  were,  this  sacred  flame,  which 
serves  man  so  beneficently,  and  to  devote  to  its  service 
immaculate  virgins  as  its  most  sacred  priestesses.  A par- 
ticular place  of  refuge  was  appointed  to  that  element,  which 
is  so  requisite  to  man,  where  it  never  was  employed  for 
human  necessity,  but  always  burned  for  its  own  sake, 
attracting  the  veneration  of  mortals. 

Among  the  contemplative  priests  of  the  East,  Hestia 
passed  for  the  latent  power  of  fire,  or  the  internal  texture 
and  disposition  of  some  sorts  of  matter  that  render  it 
combustible,  while  others  are  little  affected  with  heat.  As 
such,  she  was  the  wife  of  Uranos  and  mother  of  Kronos — - 
the  sacred,  eternal  fire,  worshipped  with  the  greatest  rev- 
erence and  most  pompous  ceremonies  by  all  the  eastern 
nations.  But  among  the  less  speculative  Europeans,  who 
received  the  knowledge  of  this  goddess  at  second  hand, 
she  was  considered  only  as  Saturn’s  daughter,  and  a na- 
tional tutelary  deity.  JNuma,  the  pious  Sabine,  priest  and 
king,  made  her  the  guardian  of  the  infant  state,  though, 
generally  speaking,  she  was  worshipped  as  a domestic 
deity  and  protectress  of  the  family  seat  all  over  Italy,  and 
long  before  in  Greece. 

This  goddess,  then,  the  pure,  eternal  Hestia,  appears  in 
a double  capacity  ; either  as  the  grand,  enlivening  genius 
of  the  terrestrial  globe,  worshipped  with  solemn  ceremo- 
nies, and  honored  by  annual  processions,  under  the  name 
of  Orosmades  by  the  Persians,  and  that  of  Serapis  by  the 
Egyptians  ; or,  as  the  permanent,  immovable  seat  of  gods 


86 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


and  men,  the  Earth  itself ; — and  by  an  easy  transition,  the 
native  soil  of  a nation,  or  the  fixed  habitation  of  a family. 
Ovid,  in  his  Fasti,  hints  at  them  both  ; but  Plato  confines 
them  to  the  latter  ; when  describing  the  movement  of  the 
universe,  he  says  that  the  supreme  god,  the  beneficent  Ze- 
us, driving  a winged  chariot  through  the  heavens,  marches 
first,  directing  and  inspecting  all  things ; after  whom  the 
whole  host  of  deities  and  daemons,  ranged  in  twelve  bands, 
follow  in  order,  but  that  Hestia  alone  remains  at  home. 

The  very  ancient  worship  of  Vesta  spread  its  influence 
over  domestic  life,  contributing  to  render  it  pure  and  hap- 
py. She  was  the  genius  of  the  fireside  ; and  every  bene- 
ficial influence  of  the  fire  that  tends  towards  physical 
preservation,  or  moral  improvement,  was  considered  as  her 
gift.  And  as  the  surrounding  all  of  nature  itself  which 
she  animated  with  tender  glow,  was,  as  it  were,  her  temple, 
so  Vesta  is  said  to  have  caused  man  to  surround  his  dwel- 
ling by  a covering  for  shelter ; teaching  him  to  secure  him- 
self against  the  severe  influence  of  the  elements,  and  to 
assemble  together  and  dwell  in  union  with  his  family 
around  the  domestic  hearth.  For  this  reason,  she  was 
one  of  the  household  gods  to  whom  the  Romans  daily 
sacrificed.  Her  statue  was  placed  at  the  entrance  of  every 
dwelling,  which  was  therefore  sacred  to  Vesta,  and  called 
Vestibulum. 

In  the  ancient  Roman  house,  the  hearth  was  the  central 
part,  and  around  it  the  inmates  daily  assembled  for  their 
common  meal.  Every  meal  thus  taken  was  a fresh  bond 
of  union  among  the  members  of  the  family,  and  at  the 
same  time  an  act  of  worship  to  Vesta,  combined  with  a sacri- 
fice to  her  and  the  Penates.  Every  dwelling  was  there- 
fore, in  some  sense,  a temple  of  Vesta,  but  a public  sanc- 
tuary united  all  the  citizens  of  the  state  into  one  family. 
This  sanctuary  stood  in  the  Forum,  between  the  Capito- 


HESTIA  OR  VESTA. 


87 


line  and  Palatine  hills,  and  not  far  from  the  temple  of  the 
Penates. 

The  mysteries  and  worship  of  Yesta  were  first  brought 
into  Italy  by  iEneias  from  Phrygia  ; where  they  were 
originally  received  from  the  East.  Numa  Pompilius  built 
her  a temple  at  Rome,  into  which  no  males  were  allowed 
to  enter;  he  also  instituted  those  celebrated  priestesses 
who  bore  the  name  of  Vestals,  or  Vestal  virgins  ; and  who 
were,  as  their  name  indicates,  consecrated  to  Vesta.  Their 
existence  at  Alba  Longa  is  connected  with  the  earliest  Ro- 
man traditions ; for  Silvia,  the  mother  of  Romulus,  was  a 
member  of  the  sisterhood. 

Their  establishment  in  the  city,  in  common  with  almost 
all  matters  connected  with  religion,  is  generally  ascribed  to 
Numa,  who  first  appointed  four  ; to  which  Tarquin  added 
two  more.  They  were  originally  chosen  by  the  monarchs  ; 
but  during  the  republic  and  empire,  this  duty  was  intrusted 
to  the  Pontifex  Maximus.*  The  virgins  chosen  for  this  ser- 
vice were  between  six  and  ten  years  of  age : and  if  a suffi- 
cient number  did  not  voluntarily  present  themselves  as 
candidates  for  the  office,  twenty  virgins  were  selected  for  a 
choice,  and  those  among  the  number  upon  whom  the  lot 
fell,  were  obliged  to  become  priestesses.  Plebeians,  as  well 
as  Patricians,  were  eligible  to  the  office,  but  the  choice  fell 
on  those  who  were  born  of  good  families,  and  whose  persons 
were  free  from  blemish  or  deformity. 

The  time  of  their  consecration  to  this  service  lasted 
thirty  years.  During  the  first  ten  yean,  the  priestess  was 
engaged  in  learning  her  mysterious  duties  ; the  ten  follow- 


* The  institution  of  that  high  order  of  priests  called  pontijices , was 
attributed  to  Numa.  The  pontifex  maximvs , chief  of  these  priests,  was 
interpreter  of  all  .sacred  rites,  or  rather  a superintendent  of  religion; 
having  the  care,  not  only  of  public  sacrifices,  but  even  of  private  rites 
and  offerings,  forbidding  the  people  to  depart  from  stated  ceremonies, 
and  teaching  them  how  to  honor,  and  propitiate  the  gods. 


88 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


ing  were  employed  in  discharging  them  with  fidelity  and 
sanctity ; and  the  ten  last,  in  the  instruction  of  those  who 
had  entered  the  novitiate  ; while  thus  employed,  she  was 
bound  by  a solemn  vow  of  chastity  ; but  after  the  time 
specified  was  completed,  she  was  at  liberty  to  throw  aside 
the  emblems  of  her  office,  return  to  the  world,  and  even 
enter  the  marriage  state.  Few,  however,  availed  themselves 
of  these  privileges  ; those  who  did  so  were  said  to  have 
lived  in  sorrow  and  remorse ; hence  such  a proceeding  was 
considered  ominous,  and  priestesses  generally  died  as  they 
had  lived,  in  the  service  of  the  goddess. 

The  chief  employment  of  the  Vestals  was,  to  maintain 
the  sacred  fire  which  burned  in  honor  of  Vesta.  If  it 
ever  happened  to  expire,  all  Rome  was  in  consternation,  as 
it  was  considered  a direful  presage,  and  was  made  the  occa- 
sion of  a general  mourning  ; and  public  spectacles  were 
forbidden  until  the  crime  was  expiated  by  a severe  punish- 
ment inflicted  on  the  offender,  to  whose  carelessness  the 
calamity  was  to  be  attributed.  The  fire  was  again  rekin- 
dled by  friction. 

Another  sacred  charge  of  the  Vestals  was,  to  preserve 
a sacred  pledge  on  which  was  supposed  to  depend  the  very 
existence  of  Rome,  which,  according  to  some  authorities, 
was  the  Palladium  of  Troy,  and  others,  the  mysteries  of 
the  god  of  Samothrace.  Their  other  ordinary  duties  con- 
sisted in  presenting  offerings  to  the  goddess  at  stated 
times,  and  in  sprinkling  and  purifying  the  shrine  every 
morning  with  water;  which,  according  to  the  institution  of' 
Numa,  was  to  be  drawn  from  the  Egerian  fount,  although 
in  later  limes  it  was  considered  lawful  to  use  any  water 
from  a living  spring  or  running  stream  ; but  not  such  as 
had  passed  through  pipes.  When  used  for  sacrificial  pur- 
poses it  was  mixed  with  salt  which  had  been  pounded  in  a 
mortar,  then  placed  in  an  earthen  jar,  and  dried  in  an  oven 

They  also  assisted  at  all  the  great  public,  holy  rites. 


HESTIA  OR  VESTA. 


59 


such  as  the  festivals  of  the  Bona  Dea,  and  the  consecration 
of  temples  ; they  were  invited  to  the  public  banquets  ; and 
we  are  told  that  they  were  present  at  the  solemn  appeal 
made  to  the  gods  by  Cicero  during  the  coi  spiracy  of  Ca- 
tiline. 

If  a Yestal  violated  her  vows  of  chastity,  nothing  could 
save  her  from  a violent  death.  Numa  ordered  such  to  be 
stoned ; but  a more  cruel  torture  was  devised  by  Tarqui- 
nius  Priscus,  and  inflicted  from  that  time  till  the  abolish- 
ment of  the  order  by  Theodosius  the  Great.  When  con- 
demned by  the  college  of  Pontifices,  she  was  stripped  of 
her  vittae  and  other  badges  of  office,  scourged,  attired  like 
a corpse,  placed  in  a close  litter,  and  borne  through  the 
forum,  attended  by  her  weeping  friends  with  all  the  cere- 
monies of  a real  funeral,  to  a rising  ground  called  the 
Campus  Sceleratus,  just  within  the  city  walls,  close  to  the 
Colline  gate.  There,  a small  vault  was  prepared  under 
ground,  containing  a couch,  a lamp,  and  a table  with  a lit- 
tle food.  The  Pontifex  Maximus,  having  lifted  up  his 
hands  to  heaven  and  uttered  a secret  prayer,  opened  the 
litter,  led  forth  the  culprit,  and  placing  her  on  the  steps 
of  the  ladder  which  gave  access  to  the  subterranean  cell, 
delivered  her  over  to  the  common  executioner  and  his  as- 
sistants, who  conducted  her  down,  drew  up  the  ladder,  and 
having  filled  the  pit  with  earth  until  it  was  level  with  the 
surrounding  ground,  left  her  to  perish,  deprived  of  all  the 
tributes  of  respect  usually  paid  to  the  departed. 

The  labors  of  the  Vestals  were  unremitting,  and  the 
rules  of  the  order  rigidly  enforced  ; but  as  a compensation 
for  their  privations,  extraordinary  honors  and  privileges 
were  granted  them.  They  were  maintained  at  the  public 
cost,  and  from  sums  of  money  and  land  bequeathed  from 
time  to  time  to  the  corporation.  From  the  moment  of 
their  consecration,  they  became,  as  it  were,  the  property  of 
the  goddess  alone,  and  were  completely  released  from  all 


90 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


parental  authority  without  going  through  the  forms  of 
emancipation.  They  had  a right  to  make  a will,  and  to 
give  evidence  ;n  a court  of  justice  without  taking  an  oath  ; 
distinctions  first  conceded  by  a Horatian  law  to  a certain 
Caia  Tarratia,  or  Tufetia,  and  afterwards  communicated  to 
all  belonging  to  the  order. 

From  the  time  of  the  triumviri,  each  was  preceded  by  a 
lictor  when  she  went  abroad,  and  so  great  was  the  defer- 
ence paid  them  by  the  magistrates,  as  well  as  the  people, 
that  the  consuls  themselves  made  way  for  them,  bowing 
their  fasces * as  they  passed.  Augustus  granted  to  them  all 
the  rights  of  matrons  who  had  borne  three  children,  and 
assigned  them  a conspicuous  place  in  the  theatre  ; a privi- 
lege they  had  previously  enjoyed  at  gladiatorial  shows. 
Great  weight  was  attached  to  their  intercession  in  behalf 
of  those  who  were  in  danger  and  difficulty,  of  which  we 
have  a remarkable  example  in.  the  entreaties  which  they 
addressed  to  Sulla  on  behalf  of  Julius  Osesar,  and  if  they 
chanced  to  meet  a criminal  as  he  was  led  to  punishment, 
they  had  a right  to  demand- his  release,  provided  it  could 
be  proved  that  the  encounter  was  accidental.  Wills,  even 
those  of  emperors,  were  committed  to  their  charge,  for 
when  in  such  keeping  they  were  considered  inviolable  j and 
in  like  manner  very  solemn  treaties,  such  as  that  of  the 
triumvirs  with  Sextus  Pompeius,  were  placed  in  their 
hands.  If  any  one  died  in  office,  her  remains  were  in- 
terred  within  the  walls  of  the  city  ; an  honor  seldom  grant- 
ed by  the  Homans. 


* Fasces  were  rods  bound  in  the  form  of  a bundle,  and  containing  an 
axe  in  the  middle,  the  iron  of  which  projected.  These  rods  were  carried 
by  the  lictors,  or  public  officers,  who  attended  the  superior  magistrates 
at  Rome.  From  the  representations  of  the  fasces , they  appear  to  have 
been  usually  made  of  birch,  but  sometimes  also  of  the  twigs  cf  the  elm. 
They  are  said  to  have  been  derived  from  Vetalonia,  a city  of  Etruria. 


HESTIA  OR  VESTA. 


91 


To  offer  insult  to  the  Yestals  was  a capital  crime,  and 
if  any  one  attempted  to  violate  their  chastity,  he  was  pub 
licly  scourged  to  death  in  the  Forum. 

The  dress  of  the  Yestals  was  a stola * over  which  was  an 
upper  vestment  made  of  linen  ; on  the  head  they  wore  a 
close  covering  called  infula,  from  which  hung  ribbons  or 
vittae;  and  in  addition  to  this,  they  wore,  when  sacrificing, 
a peculiar  head-dress  called  suffibulum,  consisting  of  a 
piece  of  white  cloth  bordered  with  purple,  oblong  in  shape, 
and  secured  by  a clasp.  In  dress  and  general  deportment, 
they  were  required  to  observe  the  utmost  simplicity  and 
decorum  ; as  any  fanciful  ornaments  in  the  one,  or  levity 
in  the  other,  were  always  regarded  with  disgust  and  sus- 
picion. From  a passage  in  Pliny,  we  infer  that  their  hair 
was  cut  off  probably  at  the  period  of  their  consecration  ; 
whether  this  was  repeated  from  time  to  time,  does  not 
appear  ; but  they  are  never  represented  with  flowing  locks. 

Animal  festivals  were  celebrated  by  the  Romans,  in 
honor  of  Yesta,  on  the  9th  of  June,  and  were  called  Yes- 
taiia.  Banquets  were  then  prepared  before  the  houses,  and 
plates  of  meat  were  sent  to  the  Yestals  to  be  offered  up  to 
the  goddess.  Mill-stones  were  turned  by  asses,  decked 
with  garlands,  as  they  were  led  in  procession  around  the 
city ; ladies  followed  bare-footed  to  the  temple  of  the  god- 
dess, where  an  altar  was  erected  to  Jupiter,  surnamed 
Pistor. 

By  the  poets,  Mercury  and  Yesta  are  made  intimate 
triends : they  are  the  beneficent  teachers  and  keepers  of 
men,  in  whose  songs  they  are  united,  and  represented  as 


* A dress  worn  over  the  tunic,  which  came  as  low  as  the  ankles  or 
feet,  it  was  fastened  round  the  body  by  a girdle,  and  over  the  shoulder 
by  a clasp.  It  usually  had  sleeves,  but  not  always. 

The  stola  was  the  characteristic  dress  of  the  Roman  matrons,  as  th« 
toga  was  of  the  men. 


92 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY, 


dwelling  in  friendly  concord,  and  teaching  the  useful 
arts. 

Whenever  ancient  art  ventured  to  represent  Vesta,  the 
goddess  bore  a flambeau  in  her  hand ; but  a mystical  veil 
always  covers  her  chaste  form. 

Vesta,  represented  with  the  torch,  is  sometimes  thought 
to  be  the  ancient  Vesta,  who  probably  was  the  same  as 
Terra.  In  the  fictions  of  the  ancients,  the  earlier  and  later 
deities  are  often  confounded,  and,  as  it  were,  lost  in  one 
another ; and  since  Earth,  one  of  the  pristine  deities,  no 
longer  makes  a distinct  appearance  among  the  moderns,  she 
seemed  to  be  renewed  in  Vesta,  as  Helios  in  Apollo. 

CYBELE. 

The  Greeks  renewed  the  fiction 
of  Terra  in  Cybele,  and  consid- 
ered her  as  the  mother  of  all 
creatures,  gods  as  well  as  men. 

The  archetype  of  Cybele  was 
likewise  the  great  productive 
power  that  gives  rise  to  all  for- 
mations. She  was  conceived  to 
be  the  ruler  of  the  elements  and 
the  beginning  of  time  ; the  high- 
est goddess  of  the  heavens,  as 
well  as  the  queen  of  the  lower 
world ; and  even  the  representa- 
tive of  every  deity,  keeping  ihe  female  character,  because 
of  her  ever-producing  power. 

Although  this  goddess  is  represented  sitting  in  a chariot 
drawn  by  lions,  and  bearing  a mural  or  tower  crown  upon 
her  head,  to  indicate  her  all-subduing  power,  together  with 
her  sovereignty  of  the  earth  overspread  with  cities,  yet 
this  representation  is  merely  an  external  cover  for  her 
incomprehensible  formless  character. 

In  the  temple  of  the  great  mother  of  life,  at  Pessinus  in 


POSEIDON  OR  NEPTUNE. 


93  . 


Galatia,  a small  stone  of  a blackish  color,  and  rough,  irreg- 
ular surface,  represented  the  Alma  Mater.  It  was  also  the 
idea  of  this  mysterious  being  which  was  hidden  in  the 
Egyptian  Isis,  whose  temple  bore  this  inscription,  tl  I am 
all  that  is,  that  was,  and  that  will  be,  and  no  mortal  has 
lifted  my  veil.” 


POSEIDON  OR  NEPTUNE. 

In  the  great  division  of  the  universe  by  Zeus,  the  empire 
of  the  sea  was  committed  to  Poseidon,  who  rises  in  impe- 
rial majesty  as  Pontos,  Oceanos,  and  Nereus  retreat  to 
the  shade  He  was  made  the  ruler  of  the  waters  ; his  su- 
preme command  raised  the  stormy  waves,  and  his  mighty 
trident  calmed  the  seditious  floods.  Not  only  the  ocean, 
rivers,  and  fountains  were  subjected  to  him,  but  he  also 
caused  earthquakes  at  his  pleasure,  and  raised  islands 
from  the  depths  of  the  se*a,  by  a blow  of  his  trident  Ho- 
mer represents  him  as  rising  from  the  depths  of  the  sea, 
and  in  three  steps  crossing  the  whole  horizon.  im  The  moun- 
tains and  the  forests,”  says  the  poet,  “ trembled  as  he  walk- 
ed; all  the  hosts  of  the  sea  rose  to  hail  their  king,  and  the 
waves  fell  back  in  awful  respect.” 

As  god  of  the  sea,  Poseidon  was  entitled  to  more  power 
than  any  other  deity  except  Zeus ; but  though  descended 
from  the  same  father  as  the  Thunderer,  Poseidon,  like  the 
element  in  which  he  reigns,  is  but  a subordinate  power. 

Polyphemos  was  deprived  of  his  only  eye  by  Ulysses ; 
and  this  injury  done  to  his  beloved  son,  by  mortal  hands, 
Poseidon  left  not  unavenged,  but  severely  punished  the 
daring  Ulysses,  by  rendering  vain,  as  long  as  possible,  all 
attempts  made  by  the  unfortunate  traveller  to  regain  his 
home.  He  made  him  endure  all  dangers  and  hardships 
that  can  befall  a seafaring  man  ; and  when,  by  the  will  of 
Fate,  he  must  at  last  reach  his  native  island,  Poseidon 
avenged  himself  by  transforming  into  a rock  the  innocent 


94 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


ship  of  the  hospitable  Phseacians,  which  had  brought  him 
thither.  Thus  dangerous  was  it,  even  to  the  favorite  of 
Minerva,  to  offend  the  dreadful  power  of  the  resistless  ele- 
ment. 

When  the  Muses  were  entertaining  themselves  in  the 
Aonian  mountain  with  song,  and  play  on  the  lyre,  in  so 
gay  a manner  that  all  the  environs  participated  in  their 
joy,  and  Helicon  itself  leaped  under  their  feet,  falling  into 
a passion,  Poseidon  sent  up  Pegasos  charging  him  to  set 
limits  to  the  mirth  and  noisy  merriment  of  those  revellers. 
On  arriving  at  the  top  of  the  mount,  Pegasos  had  only  to 
paw  the  ground,  to  bring  all  to  its  quiet,  proper  course  ; and 
from  beneath  his  foot  arose  that  well-known  fountain,  from 
which  the  poets  sip  their  inspiration,  and  which  from  its 
origin  is  called  Hippocrene. 

The  archetype  of  Poseidon  is  the  vast  sea.  which  being, 
as  it  were,  angry  at  all  that  is  prominent,  strives  to  reduce 
every  thing  to  its  own  level.  Therefore,  when,  during  the 
siege  of  Troy,  the  Greeks  were  building  a wall  around 
their  ships,  to  serve  as  a bulwark  against  their  enemies, 
Poseidon  was  angry ; and  hastening  to  Zeus,  gave  vent  to 
the  bitterness  of  his  wrath  in  these  words : “ The  renown 
of  this  wall  will  spread  over  the  earth ; yet  my  own  wall, 
which  with  the  assistance  of  Apollo  I built  around  Troy 
for  Laomedon,  will  be  forgotten.”  To  which  Zeus  replied, 
“ Illustrious  shaker  of  the  earth,  if  another  god,  less  pow- 
erful than  thou,  should  care  for  such  a work  as  that,  1 
should  not  wonder ; but  thy  glory  already  reaches  as  far  as 
the  sun ; and  thou  wilt,  I trust,  as  soon  as  the  Greeks  have 
departed,  sink  that  wall  into  the  sea,  and  cover  the  shores 
with  sand,  that  no  traces  of  its  existence  may  remain.” 
With  such  words  Zeus  upbraided  him  for  his  envy,  as  well 
as  his  regard  for  the  works  of  mortal  men.  (II.  vii.  546.; 

All  that  moves  rapidly  onward  affords  pleasure  to  the 
ruler  of  the  waves.  He  bends  over  his  spirited  steeds,  to 


POSEIDON  OR  NEPTUNE. 


95 


encourage  them,  and  the  swiftly  flying  ship  is  his  delight. 
Poets  tell  us,  that  the  horse  owes  to  him  its  existence,  say- 
ing that  he  produced  that  animal  by  striking  the  ground 
with  his  trident.  Hence  he  is  called  Hippias  or  Hippodro- 
mus,  and  is  esteemed  the  president  of  the  horse  race. 
They  also  make  him  the  father  of  the  winged  Pegasos,  and 
of  Arion,  the  noblest  steed  that  ever  bore  kings  or  heroes. 
Endowed  with  the  swiftness  of  the  wind,  he  threw  off  his 
rider  in  one  of  the  Grecian  games,  to  win  the  prize  for  him- 
self. 

To  the  Egyptians,  who  hated  the  sea,  and  seldom  left 
their  own  country,  Poseidon  was  scarcely  known  ; but  with 
all  maritime  nations  he  was  a favorite  deity.  As  the  god 
of  ships  and  all  marine  affairs,  altars  were  consecrated  and 
temples  erected  to  his  honor. 

The  Libyans  in  particular  held  him  in  great  veneration  ; 
esteeming  him  above  all  other  gods.  His  most  celebrated 
temples  were  at  the  Corinthian  Isthmus,  at  Onchestos, 
Helice,  and  Traezene. 

Some  writers  suppose  that  the  Romans  worshipped  Nep- 
tune as  Consus,  the  god  of  counsel ; and  as  such,  counsel 
being  generally  given  in  private,  his  altar  was  under  ground., 
or  in  an  obscure  and  private  place,  where  sacrifices  were 
offered  to  him. 

The  Consualia,  at  Rome,  were  festivals  instituted  in 
honor  of  Consus.  It  was  during  one  of  these  festivals  that 
Romulus  carried  away  the  Sabine  women,  who  had  assem- 
bled as  spectators  of  the  games. 

The  animals  offered  to  him  in  sacrifice,  were  a black  bull, 
rams,  and  a boar-pig ; and  the  Roman  soothsayers  always 
offered  to  him  the  gall  of  their  victims,  which  in  taste  re- 
sembles the  bitterness  of  sea  water. 

Neptune  was  generally  represented  sitting  in  a chariot 
made  of  a scollop  shell,  and  drawn  by  sea  horses,  or  dol- 
phins, but  sometimes  standing,  holding  his  trident,  guiding 


90 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


winged  horses  as  his  chariot  flies  over  the  sea.  These  sea 
horses  had  the  tails  of  fishes,  with  only  two  feet,  which 
were  the  fore-feet  of  a horse,  according  to  the  description 
given  in  Statius : 

“ Good  Neptune’s  steeds  to  rest  are  set  up  here 
In  the  iEgean  gulf;  whose  fore-parts  harness  bear; 

Their  hinder  parts  fish-shaped.” 

In  the  grim  as- 
pect of  Neptune  is 
depicted  the  raging 
element  over  which 
he  presides.  He  is 
often  represented  as 
holding  in  his  right 
hand  the  trident,  or 
the  three- pointed 
sceptre,  the  symbol 
of  his  power,  and 
in  his  left,  the 
reins  by  which  he 
guides  his  proud 
coursers,  and  his 
garment  waving  in 
the  tempest. 


Tim  Isthmian  games,  one  of  the  four  great  national  fes- 
tivals of  £he  Greeks,  derived  their  name  from  the  Corinth- 
ian Isthmus,  where  they  were  celebrated.  At  the  nar- 
rowest part  of  the  Isthmus,  between  the  coast  of  the  Saro- 
nic and  the  western  foot  of  the  (Enian  hills,  was  the  tem- 
ple of  Poseidon  ; and  near  it  was  a stadium  and  a theatre 
of  white  marble.  The  entrance  to  the  temple  was  adornoa 


ISTHMIAN  GAMES. 


9 1 


with  statues  of  the  victors  in  the  Isthmian  games,  and  with 
groves  of  pine  trees. 

These  games  were  said  originally  to  have  been  instituted 
in  honor  of  Melicertes,  who  was  also  called  Palsemon. 
Their  original  mode  of  celebration,  as  Plutarch  remarks, 
partook  more  of  the  character  of  mysteries  than  of  a great 
national  assembly  with  its  various  amusements,  and  was 
performed  at  night.  Subsequent  to  the  age  of  Theseus, 
the  Isthmian  games  were  celebrated  in  honor  of  Poseidon ; 
this  innovation  is  ascribed  to  Theseus  himself,  who,  accord- 
ing to  some  legends,  was  the  son  of  Poseidon,  and  who,  in 
the  institution  of  the  games,  or  Isthmian  solemnities,  is 
said  to  have  imitated  Hercules,  the  founder  of  the  Olym- 
pian games. 

The  season  of  the  Isthmian  solemnities  was,  like  that  of 
all  the  great,  national  festivals,  distinguished  by  general 
rejoicing  and  feasting.  The  contests  and  games  were  the 
same  as  those  of  Olympia  ; and  embraced  all  the  varieties 
of  athletic  performances,  such  as  wrestling,  the  pancratium, 
together  with  horse  and  chariot  racing.  Musical  and  poet- 
ical contests  were  likewise  carried  on ; and  in  the  latter, 
women  were  allowed  to  take  part,  as  we  must  infer  from 
Plutarch,  who,  on  the  authority  of  Polemo,  states  that  in 
the  treasury  of  Sicyon,  there  was  a golden  book  which  had 
been  presented  to  it  by  Aristomache,  the  poetess,  after 
she  had  gained  the  victory  at  the  Isthmia.  At  a late 
period  of  the  Roman  Empire,  the  character  of  the  games  at 
the  Isthmia  appears  greatly  altered  ; for  in  the  letter  of  the 
Emperor  Julian,  above  referred  to,  it  is  stated  that  the 
Corinthians  purchased  bears  and  panthers  for  the  purpose 
of  exhibiting  their  fights  at  the  Isthmia  ; and  it  is  not  im- 
probable that  the  custom  of  introducing  fights  of  animals 
on  this  occasion  commenced  soon  after  the  time  of  Caesar. 

The  prize  of  a victor  at  the  Isthmian  games  consisted  at 
first  of  a garland  of  pine  leaves  and  afterwards  of  a wreath 


98 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


of  ivy ; but  in  the  end,  the  ivy  was  again  superseded  by  a 
pine  garland.  Simple  as  such  a reward  was,  a victor  in 
these  games  gained  the  greatest  distinction  and  honor 
among  his  countrymen  ; and  the  victory  not  only  rendered 
the  individual  who  obtained  it  a subject  of  admiration,  but 
shed  lustre  over  his  family  and  the  whole  town  or  commu- 
nity to  which  he  belonged. 

Hence  Solon  established  by  a law  that  every  Athenian 
who  gained  a victory  at  the  Isthmian  games,  should  receive 
from  the  public  treasury  a reward  of  one  hundred  drach- 
mae. His  victory  was  generally  celebrated  in  lofty  odes, 
of  which  we  still  possess  some  beautiful  specimens  among 
the  Odes  of  Pindar. 


HADES  OR  PLUTO. 


Hades  was  the 
god  of  Hell,  of  rich- 
es, and  funeral  ob- 
sequies. His  name, 
Hades,  or  Aides, 
signifies  the  invisi- 
ble or  unknown  ; a 
name  indicating  of 
itself  a gloom  which 
no  mortal  could 
penetrate:  He  was 
also  called  the  sub- 
terranean or  Sty- 
gian Jupiter,  and 
plastic  art  repre- 
sented him  like  im- 
perial J ove,  but 
with  gloomy,  ra- 
ther than  benig- 
nant features.  His 


HADES  OR  PLUTO. 


99 


Latin  name  was  Dis,  signifying  wealtn — so  called  because 
wealth  comes  from  the  bowels  of  the  earth  ; and  because, 
as  Cicero  observes,  all  things  proceed  from  the  earth,  and 
return  to  it  again  under  his  direction. 

He  is  sometimes  represented  as  having  on  his  head  an 
ancient  corn  measure,  the  emblem  of  Earth’s  fertility.  At 
others  with  a helmet,  which  renders  the  wearer  invisible, 
and  which  is  supposed  to  indicate  the  safety  that  men  find 
in  the  grave ; or  with  his  garment  drawn  over  his  head  to 
intimate  the  god  concealed. 

Hades  was  much  renowned  among  the  Egyptians,  who 
had  frequent  representations  of  funeral  ceremonies.  In 
their  representations  of  him.  a radiant  crown  surrounds  the 
head,  and  a serpent  is  twined  round  his  body,  sometimes 
accompanied  with  the  signs  of  the  zodiac.  According  to 
some  mythologists,  Hades,  as  well  as  many  other  gods  of 
the  Egyptians,  was  originally  worshipped  as  the  sun  ; and 
Zeus,  Poseidon,  and  Hades  are  considered  as  the  symbols 
of  one  solar  year,  diversified  according  to  the  changes  of 
the  seasons. 

Tartaros,  or  Erebos,  was  the  abode  of  night,  where,  at 
the  remotest  boundary  of  the  Earth,  the  sun  was  sup- 
posed to  sink  into  the  sea.  There,  too,  was  the  mansion 
of  Hades,  beneath  which,  in  a dark  prison,  the  Titans  be- 
moaned their  fate. 

Fable  says,  that  the  residence  of  Pluto  was  so  obscure 
and  gloomy  that  all  the  goddesses  refused  to  marry  him, 
and  he  therefore  determined  to  obtain  a wife  by  force,  and 
that,  after  a violent  earthquake,  he  visited  the  island  of 
Sicily,  where  he  saw  Persephone,  the  daughter  of  Ceres, 
gathering  flowers  in  the  plains  of  Enna,  surrounded  by 
her  female  attendants,  and  immediately  carried  her  away 
in  his  chariot,  concealing  his  retreat  by  opening  a passage 
for  himself  with  a blow  of  his  trident. 


100 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


As  wife  of  Pluto,  and  queen  of  hell,  Proserpina  presided 
over  the  death  of  mankind ; and  according  to  the  opinion 
of  the  ancients,  no  one  could  die  if  the  goddess  herself,  or 
Atropos,  the  minister,  did  not  cut  off  one  of  the  hairs  from 
the  head.  From  this  superstitious  belief,  it  was  customary 
to  strew  some  of  the  hair  of  the  deceased  at  the  door  of  the 
house  as  an  offering  to  Proserpina. 

The  Sicilians  were  very  exact  in  their  worship  of  Pro- 
serpina ; and  as  they  believed  that  the  fountain  Cyane 
had  risen  from  the  earth  at  the  very  place  where  Pluto 
had  opened  himself  a passage,  they  annually  sacrificed 
there  a bull,  the  blood  of  which  was  suffered  to  flow  into 
the  water.  Her  worship  was  universal,  and  she  was  known 
by  the  different  names  of  Theogamia,  Libitina,  Hecate, 
Juno  Inferna,  etc.,  etc. 

Hades  is  represented  as  sitting  on  a throne,  surrounded 
by  the  most  gloomy  darkness ; his  countenance  severe  and 
frowning,  holding  in  his  hand  a two-pointed  sceptre,  and 
also  a key,  which  signifies  that  when  once  the  dead  are 
received  into  his  kingdom,  the  gates  are  locked  against 
them,  and  thence  there  is  no  regress. 

Hades  was  considered  as  inexorable,  and  for  that  reason 
no  temples  were  erected  to  him  as  to  the  rest  of  the  supe- 
rior gods.  Sacrifices  of  black  sheep  and  a bull  were  offer- 
ed to  him  in  the  night.  Their  blood  was  not  sprinkled 
upon  altars,  or  received  into  vessels,  as  at  other  sacrifices, 
but  was  permitted  to  run  into  the  earth,  as  if  it  could  pene- 
trate the  realms  of  the  god.  Among  plants,  the  cypress 
and  maiden-hair  were  sacred  to  him,  as  well  as  every  thing 
deemed  inauspicious,  particularly  the  number  two.  Ac- 
cording to  some  of  the  ancient  writers,  Hades  sat  on  a 
throne  of  sulphur,  from  which  issued  the  rivers  Lethe, 
Coc-ytus,  Phlegethon,  and  Acheron.  The  triple-headed 
dog  Cerberos,  watched  at  his  feet;  the  Harpies  hovered 


HADES  OR  P1UTO. 


101 


around  him  ; Persephone  sat  on  his  left  hand,  and  near 
her  the  Ei'innyes,  their  heads  wreathed  with  snakes,  while 
the  Parcae,  each  holding  the  symbol  of  her  office,  com- 
pleted the  group.  According  to  others,  the  gates  to  his 
dominions  were  watched  by  the  triple-headed  dog  Cerbe- 
ros ; and  before  they  can  be  reached,  four  rivers  must  be 
crossed,  the  very  names  of  which  fill  the  soul  with  terror. 
The  first  is  Acheron,  the  sighing  river,  a son  of  Earth. 
He  was  born  in  a cave,  and  having  an  unconquerable  aver- 
sion to  light,  ran  down  into  Orcus,  where  he  was  changed 
into  the  river  which  still  retains  his  name.  Styx,  terrible 
above  all,  is  a lake  rather  than  a river,  and  has  already  been 
mentioned  among  the  ancient  deities.  The  third  river, 
Coc.ytus,  flows  out  of  the  river  Styx,  and  the  murmur  of 
its  waters,  the  sound  of  which  imitates  the  bowlings  of  the 
damned,  is  inexpressibly  dismal ; Phlegethon,  the  fourth 
river,  rolls  slowly  along  its  waves  of  fire. 

The  entrance  to  the  infernal  regions,  called  Avernus, 
is  described  as  having  around  it  a host  of  dreadful  forms  ; 
Disease,  Old  Age,  Terror,  Hunger,  Death.  War,  Discord, 
and  the  Furies,  the  avengers  of  guilt,  with  snaky  hair, 
and  whips  of  scorpions.  Near  this  dismal  cavern  is  the 
road  to  the  river  Acheron,  whither  resort  the  departed  spir- 
its, in  order  to  obtain  a passage  over.  Charon,  the  aged, 
surly  boatman,  receives  them  into  his  boat,  if  they  have 
been  honored  with  funeral  rites,  but  inexorably  rejects 
those  who  have  not  On  the  other* side  of  the  river  is  the 
gate  leading  to  the  palace  of  Hades  the  sovereign  of  those 
dreary  realms,  guarded  by  the  triple-headed  Cerberos, 
which  is  always  on  the  watch. 

Within  this  seat  of  horror,  are  first  seen  the  souls  of 
infants  who  expired  as  soon  as  born.  Then  those  who 
destroyed  themselves,  or  were  put  to  death  unjustly.  Be- 
yond them,  wandering  in  myrtle  groves,  are  the  victims  tc 
love  and  despair.  Then  succeed  the  abodes  of  heroes 


102 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


Not  far  from  them,  is  seen  the  dread  tribunal,  where  Minos 
iEacos,  and  Rhadamthys  administer  strict  justice,  and 
pass  the  irrevocable  sentence.  Then  Tartaros,  the  tre- 
mendous prison,  surrounded  by  three  massy  walls,  having 
three  gates  of  solid  brass,  round  which  the  flaming  Phle- 
gethon  rolls  its  waves  of  fire,  and  Cocytus  extends  its  stag- 
nant marsh.  Here,  likewise,  is  the  river  Styx,  by  which 
the  gods  swear  their  inviolable  oath  ; and  Lethe,  whose 
waters  produced  forgetfulness  of  past  events  to  those  whe 
drank  them.  In  Tartaros.  according  to  Virgil,  those  were 
punished  who  had  been  disobedient  to  parents  ; traitors, 
faithless  ministers,  and  such  as  had  undertaken  unjust 
or  cruel  wars  ; or  had  betrayed  their  friends  for  the  sake 
of  gain.  According  to  Ovid,  it  was  the  place  where  the 
Danaides,  Tantalos,  Sisyphos,  and  others  were  punished. 

The  Elysian  fields  are  represented  as  adorned  with  all 
the  beauties  of  nature  which  can  soothe  and  delight  the 
mind,  and  was  the  abode  of  the  heroic  and  virtuous. 
Hills,  covered  with  fragrant  shrubs,  delightful  valleys, 
flowery  plains,  shady  groves,  lucid  streams,  mild  and  balmy 
air,  and  gentle  and  unclouded  sunshine,  all  conspire  to 
render  the  Elysian  fields  the  seat  of  happiness  and  tran- 
quillity. It  was  the  habitation  of  the  blessed  ; particu- 
larly of  the  souls  of  those  who  had  lived  in  the  golden  age, 
before  man  was  stained  with  guilt.  Here  the  souls  of  the 
just,  freed  from  the  passions  and  prejudices  of  mortality, 
ranged  from  grove  to  grove,  enjoying  the  pleasures  of 
friendship  and  contemplation,  until,  at  the  command  of 
Zeus,  they  drank  of  the  waters  of  Lethe,  and  the  oblivious 
draught  caused  them  instantly  to  lose  all  remembrance  of 
the  past.  They  then  returned  again  in  human  form  to  the 
earth,  where,  forgetful  of  the  joys  of  Elysium,  they  pa- 
tiently endured  the  cares  and  sorrows  of  humanity,  until 
the  close  *of  a well-spent  life  again  restored  them  to  the 
mansions  of  the  just. 


HADES  OR  PLUTO, 


103 


This  fiction  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans  is  borrowed  from 
the  funeral  rites  of  the  Egyptians.  Near  the  Egyptian 
towns  was  a certain  tract  of  ground  appropriated  as  a 
common  burying-place,  and  Diodorus  Siculus  gives  an  ex- 
act description  of  the  customs  practised  at  Memphis.  Ac- 
cording to  him,  their  burying-place  was  on  the  other  side 
of  the  Lake  Acherusia,  on  the  shore  of  which  sat  a tribunal 
of  forty  three  judges,  who  inquired  into  the  merits  of  the 
deceased  person  ; and  if  he  had  been  disobedient  to  the 
laws,  he  was  refused  the  rites  of  interment.  When  no 
accuser  appeared,  or  he  who  deposed  against  the  deceased 
was  convicted  of  falsehood,  their  lamentations  for  him  ceased, 
and  they  commended  his  excellent  education,  his  respect 
for  religion,  his  equity,  chastity,  and  other  virtues.  All 
the  attendants  applauded  these  praises,  and  congratulated 
the  deceased  upon  being  prepared  to  enter  the  eternal 
abode  of  the  virtuous. 

On  the  shore  of  the  lake  was  a severe  and  incorruptible 
boatman,  who,  by  order  of  the  judges,  and  never  upon  any 
other  terms,  received  the  deceased  into  his  boat.  The 
kings  of  Egypt  were  treated  with  the  same  rigor,  and  never 
admitted  into  the  boat  without  the  permission  of  the  judges. 
The  other  side  of  the  lake  to  which  they  were  conveyed,  was 
a plain  embellished  with  meadows,  brooks,  and  groves.  This 
place  was  called  Elizout,  or  the  Elysian  fields — that  is,  a 
habitation  of  repose  or  of  joy.  At  the  entrance  of  the 
abode  was  the  figure  of  a dog,  with  three  pair  of  jaws,  called 
Cerberos.  This  symbol  was  expressive  of  their  affection 
for  the  departed  ; the  dog  being,  of  all  animals,  the  em- 
blem of  attachment.  To  the  figure  of  the  dog  they  gave 
three  heads  or  throats,  to  express  the  three  cries  made 
over  the  friend’s  grave,  according  to  the  custom  which 
granted  that  honor  to  none  but  good  men.  Therefore, 
the  placing  this  figure  over  the  head  of  a n<?wly-buried 
person,  signified  his  having  been  honored  with  the  lamenta- 


104 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY 


tions  of  his  family,  and  the  cries  which  friends  never  fail 
to  utter  over  the  graves  of  those  whom  they  have  loved 
and  valued  for  their  good  qualities. 

These  practices  among  the  Egyptians  were  instructions 
addressed  to  the  people,  who  were  given  to  understand  by 
such  ceremonies  and  symbols,  that  death  was  followed  by 
an  account  which  must  be  given  before  an  inflexible  tribu- 
nal ; but  that  what  was  so  dreadful  to  the  wicked,  was  to 
the  good  only  a passage  to  a state  of  happiness  and  bliss. 

The  whole  Action  of  Pluto,  or  Hades,  alludes  to  the 
grave,  whose  narrow  bounds  imagination  enlarged  into  a 
world  of  shades.  The  kingdom  of  Hades  is  therefore  repre- 
sented as  a desolate  empire,  and  his  palace  a narrow  man- 
sion. There  is  the  same  allusion  to  decay  in  the  old  and 
leaky  boat  of  Charon,  which  only  creeps,  as  it  were,  across 
the  rivers,  taking  up  much  slime  in  its  crevices.  The  dead 
themselves  are  represented  like  a world  of  dreams  ; the 
empty  shades  appearing  and  disappearing  in  a moment, 
yet  sensible  of  what  they  had  formerly  been,  and  of  what 
they  had  possessed ; and  still  strive  to  accomplish  those 
pursuits  in  which  they  had  been  engaged  when  living  in 
the  upper  world,  like  a man  who  works  and  fatigues  him- 
self during  a dream  without  attaining  his  object. 

When  Ulysses,  by  the  command  of  Circe,  went  down  into 
the  lower  world,  the  souls  of  all  the  departed  whom  he 
had  known  during  his  life-time  assembled  round  the  ditch 
into  which  he  shed  the  blood  of  his  victims.  His  mother 
presented  herself  to  him ; but  when  he  wished  to  embrace 
her,  the  empty  shade  retreated,  telling  him,  that  after  the 
body  was  destroyed,  the  souls  evaded' every  touch,  like  a 
dream.  The  shade  of  Agamemnon  stretched  forth  its 
arms  towards  his  friend  and  counsellor,  but  had  not  the 
power  to  embrace  him.  Ulysses  also  addressed  the  shade 
of  Achilles,  congratulating  him  on  the  renown  he  had 
enjoyed  while  living,  and  for  his  being  now  esteemed  among 


DEMETER  OR  CERES. 


105 


the  dead  To  which  Achilles  replied,  that  were  it  pos- 
sible, he  would  return  to  life  and  serve  as  a poor  day* 
laborer  for  scanty  wages,  rather  than  reign  in  his  present 
abode  over  all  the  departed.  The  shade  of  Heracles  too 
appeared  to  Ulysses,  although  he  himself  had  his  seat 
among  the  celestials. 

DEMETER  OR  CERES. 

Of  the  three  august  daughters  of  Kronos  and  Rhea, 
Hera  alone  is  the  reigning  queen  of  Heaven  : while  Hes- 
tia  and  Demeter  exercise  their  beneficent  influence  upon 
the  earth ; the  one  impregnating  it  with  sacred,  fertilizing 
warmth,  and  the  other  calling  forth  the  nourishing  ear  of 
corn. 

Demeter,  the  mother  of  Persephone,  was  evidently  a 
goddess  of  the  earth,  whom  some  ancient  system  married 
,to  Zeus,  the  god  of  the  Heavens.  In  Homer,  she  is  but 
slightly  mentioned,  and  she  does  not  appear  among  the 
deities  of  Olympus.  She  seems  to  have  been  early  distin- 
guished from  the  goddess  called  Earth,  and  to  have  been 
regarded  as  the  protectress  of  the  growing  corn,  and  of  agri- 
culture in  general. 

Demeter  was  the  happy  mother  of  Persephone  ; to  whom, 
however,  the  sweet  light  of  day  was  granted  but  a short 
time  ; youth  and  beauty  in  her  soon  becoming  a prey  of  in- 
exorable Orcus. 

Persephone,  sang  the  Homerid,  was  in  the  Nysian  plain 
with  the  ocean-nymphs  gathering  flowers.  She  plucked  the 
rose,  the  violet,  the  crocus,  the  hyacinth,  when  she  beheld  a 
Narcissus  of  surprising  beauty,  an  object  of  amazement  to 
“all  immortal  gods  and  mortal  men,”  for  one  hundred 
flowers  grew  from  one  root, 

‘And  with  its  fragrant  smell  wide  heaven  above 
And  all  earth  laugh’d,  and  the  sea’s  briny  flood.” 


106 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY, 


Unconscious  of  danger,  the  maiden  stretched  forth  her 
hand  to  seize  the  wondrous  flower,  when,  suddenly,  the 
wide  earth  gaped  ; A'idoneus  in  his  golden  chariot  rose,  and 
catching  the  terrified  goddess,  carried  her  off  in  it,  shriek- 
ing to  her  father  for  aid,  unheard  and  unseen  by  gods  or 
mortals,  save  only  by  Hecate,  the  daughter  of  Persseos,  who 
beard  her  as  she  sat  in  her  cave,  and  by  king  Helios, 
whose  eye  nothing  on  earth  escapes. 

So  long  as  Persephone  beheld  the  earth  and  the  starry 
heaven,  the  fishy  sea,  and  beams  of  the  sun,  so  long  she 
hoped  to  see  her  mother  and  the  tribes  of  the  gods  ; and 
the  tops  of  the  mountains  and  the  depths  of  the  sea  re- 
sounded with  her  voice.  At  length  her  mother  heard  ; 
she  tore  her  head  attire  with  grief,  cast  a dark  robe  around 
her,  and  like  a bird  hurried  over  moist  and  dry.  Of  all 
she  inquired  tidings  of  her  lost  daughter  ; but  neither  gods, 
nor  men,  nor  birds  could  give  her  intelligence.  Nine 
days  she  wandered  over  the  earth  with  flaming  torches  in 
her  hand  ; she  tasted  not  of  nectar  nor  ambrosia,  and  never 
once  entered  the  bath.  On  the  tenth  morning  Hecate 
met  her  ; but  she  could  not  tell  who  had  carried  away 
Persephone.  Together  they  proceeded  to  Helios ; they 
stand  at  the  head  of  his  horses,  and  Demeter  entreats 
that  he  will  say  who  is  the  ravisher.  The  god  of  the  Sun 
fives  the  required  information,  telling  her  that  it  was  Ai'do- 
neus,  who,  by  the  permission  of  her  sire,  had  carried  Per- 
sephone away  to  be  his  queen  ; he  then  exhorts  the  goddess 
to  patience,  by  dwelling  on  the  rank  and  dignity  of  the 
ravisher. 

Helios  urges  on  his  steeds  ; the  goddess,  incensed  at  the 
conduct  of  Zeus,  abandoned  the  society  of  the  gods,  and 
came  and  dwelt  among  men.  But  she  now  was  heedless 
of  her  person  and  no  one  recognized  her.  Under  the  guise 
of  an  old  woman — u such,”  says  the  poet,  “ as  are  the 
nurses  of  law-dispensing  king’s  children,  and  house-keep* 


DEMETER  OR  CERES. 


107 


ers,  in  resounding  houses,”  she  came  to  Eleusis  and  sat 
down  by  a well,  beneath  the  shade  of  an  olive.  The  three 
beautiful  daughters  of  Keleos,  a prince  of  that  place,  com- 
ing to  the  well  to  draw  water,  and  seeing  the  goddess,  in- 
quired who  she  was,  and  why  she  did  not  go  into  the  town. 
Demeter  told  them  that  her  name  was  Dos,  and  that  she 
had  been  carried  off  by  the  pirates  from  Crete,  but  that 
when  they  got  on  shore  at  Thoricos,  she  had  contrived  to 
make  her  escape,  and  wandered  thither.  She  entreats  them 
to  tell  her  where  she  is  ; and  wishing  them  young  husbands 
and  as  many  children  as  they  may  desire,  begs  that  they 
will  endeavor  to  procure  her  a service  in  a respectable 
family. 

The  princess  Callidice  tells  the  goddess  the  names  of  the 
five  princes,  who  with  her  father  governed  Eleusis,  each  of 
whose  wives  would,  she  was  sure,  be  most  happy  to  receive 
into  her  family  a person  who  looked  so  god-like  : but  she 
prays  her  not  to  be  precipitate,  but  to  wait  till  she  had 
consulted  her  mother,  Metaneira,  who  had  a young  son  in 
the  cradle,  of  whom,  if  the  stranger  could  have  the  nurs- 
ing, she  would  obtain  a large  recompense. 

The  goddess  bowed  her  thanks,  and  the  princesses  took 
up  their  pitchers  and  went  home.  As  soon  as  they  had  re- 
lated their  adventure  to  their  mother,  she  agreed  to  hire 
the  nurse  at  large  wages : 

And  they  as  fawns  or  heifers  in  spring-time 
Bound  on  the  mead  when  satiate  with  food ; 

So  they,  the  folds  fast-holding  of  their  robes 
Lovely,  along  the  hollow  cartway  ran ; 

Their  locks  upon  their  shoulders  flying  wide, 

Like  unto  yellow  flowers. 

The  goddess  rose  and  accompanied  them.  As  she  enter- 
ed the  house  a divine  splendor  shone  all  around.  Metanei- 
ra, filled  with  awe,  offered  the  goddess  her  own  seat,  which, 
however,  she  declined.  Iambe,  the  serving-maid,  then  pre* 


108 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOIOGY. 


pared  one  for  her,  where  she  sat  in  silence,  thinking  of  her 
44  deep-bosomed”  daughter,  till  Iambe,  by  her  tricks,  con- 
trived to  make  her  smile  and  even  laugh.  Metaneira 
offered  her  a cup  of  wine,  which  she  declined,  and  would 
only  drink  the  kykeon , or  mixture  of  flour  and  water.  She 
undertook  the  task  of  rearing  the  babe,  who  was  named 
Demophoon,  and  beneath  her  care  44  he  throve  like  a god.” 
He  ate  no  food  ; but  Demeter  breathed  on  him  as  he  lay  in 
her  bosom,  and  anointed  him  with  ambrosia,  and  every 
night  she  hid  him  44  like  a torch  within  the  strength  of 
fire,”  unknown  to  his  parents,  who  marvelled  at  ills  growth. 

It  was  the  design  of  Demeter  to  make  him  immortal  ; 
but  the  curiosity  and  folly  of  Metaneira  deprived  him  of 
the  intended  gift.  She  watched  one  night,  and  seeing  what 
the  nurse  was  about,  shrieked  with  affright  and  horror. 
The  goddess  threw  the  infant  on  the  ground,  declaring 
what  he  had  lost  by  the  inconsiderateness  of  his  mother, 
but  announcing  that  he  would  be  great  and  honored,  since 
he  had  44  sat  in  her  lap,  and  slept  in  her  arms.”  She  then 
tells  who  she  is,  and  directs  that  the  people  of  Eleusis 
should  raise  an  altar  and  temple  to  her  without  the  town  on 
the  hill  Gallichoros. 

Thus  having  said,  the  goddess  changed  her  size 
And  form,  old  age  off-flinging,  and  around 
Beauty  respired ; from  her  fragrant  robes 
A lovely  scent  was  scattered,  and  afar 
Shone  light  emitted  from  her  skin  divine  : 

And  yellow  locks  upon  her  shoulders  waved ; 

While,  as  from  lightning,  all  the  house  was  filled 
With  splendor. 

She  left  the  house,  and  the  maidens  waking  at  the  noise 
iound  their  infant  brother  lying  on  the  ground.  They  took 
him  up,  and  kindling  a fire,  prepared  to  wash  him  ; but  he 
cried  bitterly,  finding  himself  m the  hands  of  such  undul 
ful  nurses. 

In  the  morning  the  wonders  of  the  night  were  narrated 


DEMETER  OR  CERES. 


109 


to  Keleos,  who  laid  the  matter  before  the  people,  and  the 
temple  was  speedily  raised.  The  mourning  goddess  took 
up  her  abode  in  it,  but  a dismal  year  came  upon  mankind ; 
and  the  earth  yielded  no  produce.  In  vain  the  oxen  drew 
the  curved  ploughs  in  the  fields ; in  vain  was  the  seed  of 
barley  cast  in  the  ground ; u well  garlanded  Demeter  ’* 
would  suffer  no  increase.  The  whole  race  of  man  ran  the 
risk  of  perishing,  and  the  dwellers  of  Olympos  of  losing 
gifts  and  sacrifices,  had  not  Zeus  discovered  the  danger 
and  thought  on  a remedy. 

He  despatches  “gold-winged  Iris”  to  Eleusis  to  invite 
Demeter  back  to  Olympos,  but  the  dissatisfied  goddess  will 
not  comply  with  the  call.  All  the  other  gGds  are  sent  on 
the  same  errand,  and  to  as  little  purpose.  Gifts  and 
honors  are  proffered  in  vain ; she  will  not  ascend  to  Olym 
pos,  or  suffer  the  earth  to  bring  forth,  until  she  shall  have 
seen  her  daughter. 

Finding  there  was  no  other  remedy,  Zeus  sends  “gold- 
roddea  Argos-slayer”  to  Erebos,  to  endeavor  to  prevail  on 
Hades  to  suffer  Persephone  to  see  the  light.  Hermes 
obeyed,  quickly  reached  the  “ secret  places  of  earth,”  and 
found  the  king  at  home  seated  on  a couch  with  his  wife, 
who  was  mourning  for  her  mother.  On  making  known  to 
Aidoneus  the  wish  of  Zeus,  “ the  King  of  the  Subterra 
neans  smiled  with  his  brows  ” and  yielded  compliance. 
He  kindly  addressed  Persephone,  granting  her  permission 
to  return  to  her  mother.  The  goddess  instantly  sprang 
up  with  joy,  and  heedlessly  swallowed  a pomegranate  which 
Hades  presented  to  her. 

Then  many-ruling  Aidoneus  yoked 
His  steeds  immortal  to  the  golden  car : 

She  mounts  the  chariot,  and  beside  her  mounts 

Strong  Argos-slayer,  holding  in  his  hands 

The  reins  and  whip  : forth  from  the  house  he  rushed, 

And  not  unwillingly  the  coursers  flew. 


no 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


Quickly  the  long  road  they  have  gone ; not  sea, 

Nor  streams  of  water,  nor  the  grassy  dales, 

Nor  hills  retard  the  immortal  coursers’  speed, 

But  o’er  them  going,  they  cut  the  air  profound 

Hermes  conducted  his  fair  charge  safe  to  Eleusis  : Deme- 
ter, on  seeing  her,  “ rushed  to  her  like  a Maenas  on  the 
wood-shaded  hill,”  and  Persephone  sprang  from  the  car 
“ like  a bird,”  and  kissed  her  mother’s  hands  and  head. 

When  their  joy  had  a little  subsided,  Demeter  anxiously 
inquired  if  her  daughter  had  tasted  any  thing  while  below ; 
for  if  she  had  not,  she  would  be  free  to  spend  her  whole 
time  with  her  mother ; whereas,  if  but  one  morsel  had 
passed  her  lips,  nothing  could  save  her  from  spending  one 
third  of  the  year  with  her  husband  ; and  the  other  two 
she  could  pass  with  her  and  the  gods: 

And  when  in  spring-time  with  sweet  smelling  flowers 
Of  various  kinds  the  earth  doth  bloom,  thou’lt  come 
From  gloomy  darkness  back — a mighty  joy 
To  gods  and  mortal  men. 

Persephone  ingenuously  confesses  the  swallowing  of  the 
grain  of  pomegranate,  and  then  relates  to  her  mother  the 
story  of  her  adventures.  They  pass  the  day  in  delightful 
converse : 

And  joy  they  mutually  received  and  gave. 

“ Bright-veiled  Hecate”  arrives  to  congratulate  Perse- 
phone, and  henceforward  becomes  her  attendant.  Zeus 
sends  Rhea  to  invite  them  back  to  Heaven.  Demeter  now 
complies, 

And  instant,  from  the  deep-soiled  cornfields  fruit 
►Sent  up  ; with  leaves  and  flowers  the  whole  wide  earth 
Was  laden.  — 

She  taught  “ Triptolemus,  horse-lashing  Diodes,  the 
strength  of  Eumolpos,  and  Keleos  the  leader  of  the  people,” 
the  mode  of  performing  her  sacred  rites.  The  goddess 


DEMETER  OR  CERES. 


Ill 


then  returned  to  Olympos.  “ But  conic ,”  cries  the  Ho 
merid, 

But  come,  thou  goddess  who  dost  keep  the  land 
Of  odorous  Eleusis,  and  round-flowed 
Paros,  and  rocky  Anthron,  Deo  queen, 

Mistress,  bright-giver,  season-bringer,  come; 

Thyself  and  child,  Persephoneia  fair, 

Grant  freely,  for  my  song,  the  means  of  life. 

But  I will  think  of  thee  and  other  songs. 


Throughout  the  whole  of  this  attractive  fiction,  may  be 
traced  the  idea  of  the  mysterious  development  of  the  grain 
hidden  in  the  lap  of  the  earth,  and  of  the  inward,  secret- 
life  of  nature.  There  is  no  other  object  found  in  nature, 
in  which  to  appearance  life  and  death  border  so  closely 
together,  as  in  the  grain  of  seed  buried  in  the  earth,  never 
again  to  re*appear  to  the  eye  of  man  ; but,  at  the  moment 
when  life  seems  entirely  extinct,  a fuller  and  richer  exist- 
ence begins  anew.  Demeter,  who  is  said  first  to  have  be- 
stowed the  blessing  of  grain  upon  mortal  man,  is  in  the 
chain  of  divine  beings,  that  one.  who,  through  the  medium 
of  her  person,  carries  the  blessed  influence  of  the  sky 
down  to  the  dark  dominions  of  Hades.  Hades,  who  is 
called  the  subterranean  or  Stygian  Jupiter,  is  married  to 
the  beautiful  daughter  of  Jupiter  Olympius,  and  in  this 
manner  the  opposite  ideas  of  life  and  death  being  united 
in  the  person  of  Persephone,  she  connects  with  a mysteri- 
ous band  the  high  and  the  deep — Olympos  and  Orcus. 

Upon  ancient  marble  coffins,  the  ravishment  of  Perse- 
phone is  often  met  with  ; and  in  the  mysterious  festivals 
which  were  celebrated  in  honor  of  Demeter  and  her  daugh- 
ter, it  seems  as  if  the  close  connection  of  the  terrible  and 
beautiful  had  been  intended  to  fill  the  minds  of  the  initiated 
with  astonishment  and  awe  ; and  at  last,  all  that  appeared 
opposite  and  contrary  in  the  beginning,  melted  away,  and 
was  lost  in  harmony  and  beauty. 


112 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


Demeter  is  represented  as  one  of  the  most  placid  and 
meek  among  the  heathen  deities  ; yet  she  made  Erisicthon. 
who  violated  one  of  her  groves,  sensible  of  her  power  by 
afflicting  him  with  perpetual  hunger.  At  another  time, 
during  her  search  for  her  daughter,  she  entered  a cottage 
to  slake  her  burning  thirst,  and  was  scoffed  at  bj  a rude 
boy,  because  of  her  eagerness  in  drinking. 

Indignant  at  the  ignominy,  she  bespattered  the  offender 
with  water,  by  which  he  was  immediately  transformed  into 
a spotted  lizard,  and  in  this  shape,  bore  witness  to  the 
power  of  the  formidable  goddess. 

Demeter  is  commonly  repre- 
sented as  holding  a sickle  in 
her  right  hand,  and  in  her  left, 
the  torch  which  she  lighted  at 
Mount  iEtna.  At  her  feet  are 
coiled  the  dragons  which  drew 
her  chariot ; a wreath  of  wheat- 
en  ears  confines  her  golden 
tresses,  and  a cornucopia  is  gen- 
erally placed  near  her,  to  indi- 
cate the  plenty  produced  by 
agriculture.  She  is  also  repre- 
sented with  a garland  of  corn 
upon  her  head ; in  one  hand 
holding  a poppy,  and  in  the 
other  a lighted  torch.  Again 
she  appears  as  a countrywoman, 
on  the  back  of  an  ox,  carrying 
a basket  on  her  left  arm,  and 
holding  a hoe ; and  sometimes  riding  i.n  a chariot  drawn 
by  winged  horses.  In  the  Vatican,  are  some  fine  antique 
statues  of  this  goddess ; one  of  them  is  nearly  nine  feet 
high,  and  was  for  nearly  three  centuries  the  principal  orna* 


DEMETER  OR  CERES. 


113 


ment  of  the  theatre  of  Pompey  at  Rome.  Another  of  these 
is  smaller,  not  above  three  feet  six  inches  high. 

The  Romans  paid  great  adoration  to  Ceres,  and  her  fes- 
tivals were  celebrated  yearly  by  the  Roman  matrons,  dur- 
ing eight  days  in  the  month  of  April.  These  matrons 
abstained  for  several  days  from  wine,  and  every  carnal  en- 
joyment ; and  at  the  festivals,  bore  lighted  torches  in  com- 
memoration of  the  goddess ; and  whoever  attended  them 
without  a previous  initiation,  was  punished  with  death. 
These  festivals  were  called  Cerealia,  and  were  the  same  as 
the  Thesmophoria  of  the  Greeks. 

Sicily  was  supposed  to  be  the  favorite  retreat  of  Ceres, 
and  Diodorus  says  that  she  and  her  daughter  first  made 
their  appearance  to  mankind  in  Sicily,  which  Pluto  received 
as  a nuptial  dowry  from  Jupiter.  The  Sicilians  made  a 
yearly  sacrifice  to  Ceres,  every  man  according  to  his  abili- 
ty ; and  the  fountain  of  Cyane,  through  which  Pluto  open- 
ed himself  a passage  when  conveying  away  Proserpina, 
was  publicly  honored  with  an  offering  of  bulls,  and  the 
blood  of  the  victims  was  shed  in  the  waters' of  the  fountain. 
Resides  these,  other  ceremonies  were  observed  in  honor  of 
the  goddess  who  had  so  peculiarly  favored  the  island.  The 
commemoration  of  Proserpina’s  disappearance  was  cele- 
brated about  the  beginning  of  harvest,  and  the  search  of 
Ceres,  about  the  time  that  the  corn  is  sown  in  the  earth. 
The  latter  festivals  continued  six  successive  days. 

Attica,  which  has  been  so  eminently  distinguisheb  dy 
the  goddess,  greatly  remembered  her  favors  in  the  cele- 
bration of  the  Eleusinian  mysteries. 

This  great  festival  was  celebrated  every  fourth  year  by 
the  Celeans  and  Philiasians,  as  also  by  the  Lacedemonians, 
Parrhasians,  and  Cretans ; but  more  particularly  by  the 
Atticans  at  Eleusis,  where  it  was  introduced  by  Eumoipos 


114 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


B.  C.  1356,  and  was  the  most  celebrated  of  all  the  religious 
ceremonies  of  Greece. 

Each  of  the  gods  had,  besides  the  public  and  open,  a 
secret  worship  paid  to  him,  to  which  none  were  admitted 
who  had  not  previously  been  through  the  preparatory  cere- 
monies of  initiation.  This  secret  worship  was  termed  the 
mysteries , and  was  the  most  sacred  part  of  the  pagan  re- 
ligion. 

The  first  original  mysteries  of  which  we  have  any  ac- 
count, were  those  of  Osiris  or  Isis  in  Egypt,  from  whence 
they  were  derived  by  the  Greeks.  They  were  observed  in 
various  places,  and  always  with  the  same  object,  viz.  to  in- 
culcate the  doctrine  of  a future  state  of  rewards  and  pun- 
ishments ; but  those  celebrated  at  Athens  in  honor  of 
Ceres,  were  termed,  byway  of  eminence,  The  Mysteries ; 
and  were  so  superstitiously  observed,  that  if  any  one  ever 
revealed  them,  it  was  supposed  he  would  be  followed  by 
divine  vengeance. 

In  cultivating  the  doctrine  of  a future  life,  it  was  taught 
that  the  initiated  would  be  happier  after  death  than  other 
mortals ; that  while  the  souls  of  the  profane  stuck  fast  to 
mire  and  filth,  and  remained  in  darkness,  the  souls  of  the 
initiated  wing  their  way  to  the  islands  of  bliss  and  the 
habitations  of  the  gods.  But  lest  it  should  be  mistaken 
that  any  other  means  than  a virtuous  life  should  entitle 
men  to  future  happiness,  the  restoration  of  the  soul  to  its 
original  purity  was  openly  proclaimed  as  the  object  of  the 
mysteries.  “ It  was  the  end  and  design  of  initiation,”  says 
Plato,  “ to  restore  the  soul  to  that  state  from  whence  it  fell, 
as  from  its  entire  native  seat  of  perfection.”  They  con- 
trived that  every  thing  should  tend  to  show  the  necessity 
of  virtue,  as  appears  from  Epictetus.  Thus  the  mysteries 
became  useful  ; thus  we  see  the  true  spirit  of  them,  when 
we  begin  to  apprehend  that  every  thing  therein  was  insti- 
tuted by  the  ancients  for  the  amendment  of  life.”  Porphyry 


ELEUSINI  AN  MYSTERIES. 


115 


gives  us  some  of  those  moral  precepts  which  were  enforced 
in  the  mysteries ; as  to  honor  parents,  to  offer  up  fruits  to 
the  gods,  and  to  forbear  cruelty  to  animals.  It  was  re- 
quired that  the  aspirant  to  the  mysteries  should  be  of  a 
pure  and  unblemished  character,  and  free  even  from  the  sus- 
picion of  any  notorious  crime ; and  to  ascertain  the  truth 
on  these  requisitions,  he  was  severely  interrogated  by  the 
priests,  or  hierophantes,  who  impressed  him  with  the  same 
sense  of  his  obligation  to  conceal  nothing,  as  is  now  done 
at  the  Roman  confessional. 

During  the  celebration  of  the  mysteries,  the  greatest 
purity  and  elevation  of  mind  was  enjoined  upon  the  vota- 
ries. “ When  you  sacrifice  or  pray,”  says  Epictetus  to 
Arrian,  ugo  with  a prepared  purity  of  mind,  and  with  dispo- 
sitions so  previously  disposed,  as  are  required  of  you  when 
you  approach  the  ancient  rites  and  mysteries.”  And  Pro- 
clus  tells  us,  that  “ the  mysteries  and  the  initiation  drew 
the  souls  of  men  from  a material,  sensual,  and  merely  hu- 
man life,  and  joined  them  in  communion  with  the  gods.” 
Nor  was  a less  degree  of  purity  required* of  the  initiated 
for  their  future  conduct.  They  were  obliged  by  solemn  en- 
gagements to  commence  a new  life  of  strict  piety  and  vir- 
tue, which  was  done  by  a.  severe  course  of  penance.  Ac- 
cording to  Gregory  Nazianzen,  no  one  could  be  initiated 
into  the  mysteries  of  Mithras,  until  he  had  undergone  all 
sorts  of  mortifying  trials,  and  approved  himself  holy  and 
impassible.  Under  this  discipline  and  these  promises,  the 
initiated  were  esteemed  the  only  happy  men  ; and  the  ad- 
vantages conferred  by  the  ceremonies  of  initiation,  both 
here  and  hereafter,  made  its  subjects  an  object  of  universal 
regard.  Persons  of  all  ages  and  sexes  were  initiated,  and 
it  was  considered  so  serious  a crime  to  neglect  that  part  of 
the  religion,  that  the  accusation  of  it  contributed  to  the 
death  of  Socrates. 

The  chief  minister  who  officiated  at  these  festivals  was 


116 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


called  a hierophantes  or  mystagogos,  the  revealer  of  sacred 
things.  He  was  a citizen  of  Athens,  and  held  his  office 
during  life ; though,  among  the  Celeans  and  Philiasians,  it 
was  limited  to  the  period  of  four  years.  The  priest  was 
obliged  to  devote  himself  wholly  to  the  deities,  and  his 
life  must  be  chaste  and  single.  The  Hierophant  had  three 
attendants;  the  first  was  a torch  bearer,  and  was  permitted 
to  marry ; the  second  was  a sacred  Herald  ; and  the  third 
administered  at  the  altar.  Besides  these,  there  were  other 
inferior  officers,  who  took  particular  care  to  see  that  every 
thing  was  done  according  to  custom.  The  first  was  one  of 
the  archons,  whose  duty  was  to  offer  prayers  and  sacrifices, 
and  to  see  that  there  was  no  indecency  or  irregularity  dur- 
ing the  celebration.  Four  others  were  elected  by  the  peo- 
ple called  curators,  or  Epimeletes ; one  from  the  sacred 
family  of  the  Eumolpids  ;*  another  was  one  of  the  Ceryces, 
and  the  rest  from  among  the  citizens.  This  celebration, 
sacred  to  Ceres  and  Proserpina,  lasted  for  nine  successive 
days  from  the  l Oth  to  the  20th  of  September.  These  days 
were  consecrated  to  the  ceremonies  of  preparation  aud 
purification,  the  particulars  of  which  were  founded  upon  the 
story  of  Ceres’  adventures  in  search  of  Proserpina.  The 
singing  of  sacred  hymns,  in  honor  of  the  goddess,  always 
formed  a part  of  the  service. 

The  first  day  of  celebration  was  called  the  assembly,  as 
the  worshippers  then  met  together;  the  second  day  they 
were  commanded  to  purify  themselves  by  bathing  in  the 
sea ; — on  the  third  day  sacrifices  were  offered  ; chiefly  a 
mullet,  and  also  barley  from  the  field  of  Eleusis.  These 
oblations  were  considered  so  sacred,  that  the  priests  were 
not  permitted  to  partake  of  them,  as  at  other  sacrifices. 
On  the  fourth  day  they  made  a solemn  procession,  while 


* The  Eumolpids  were  the  priests  of  Derneter,  at  the  celebration  of 
her  mysteries. 


ELEUSINIAN  MYSTERIES. 


11? 


on  every  side  the  people  shouted,  Hail,  Ceres  ! Women 
followed  carrying  baskets,  in  which  were  sesamum,  carded 
wool,  grains  of  salt,  a serpent,  pomegranates,  etc.,  etc.  The 
night  of  the  fifth  day  they  ran  about  with  torches  ; the 
sixth  day  the  statue  of  Inachus,  holding  a torch,  was  car- 
ried in  solemn  procession  from  Ceranicus  to  Eleusis  ; the 
statue,  as  well  as  those  who  accompanied  it,  was  crowned 
with  myrtle,  and  nothing  was  heard  but  singing  and  noisy 
merriment.  The  way  through  which  they  issued  from 
the  city  was  called  the  Sacred  Way  ; on  the  bridge  over 
the  Cephissus  they  derided  those  that  passed  by  ; and  after 
passing  this  bridge,  they  entered  Eleusis,  by  a place  called 
the  mystical  entrance.  On  the  seventh  day  were  sports  in 
which  the  victors  were  rewarded  with  a measure  of  barley, 
as  that  grain  was  first  sown  in  Eleusis.  On  the  eighth  day 
the  mysteries  were  celebrated  a second  time,  when  those 
who  had  not  been  initiated  were  admitted  by  a repetition 
of  the  lesser  mysteries.  The  ninth  and  last  day  of  the 
festival,  two  vessels  were  filled  with  wine,  one  of  which  was 
placed  towards  the  east,  and  the  other  towards  the  west ; 
after  the  repetition  of  some  mystical  words,  they  were  both 
thrown  down,  and  the  wine  being  spilt  on  the  ground,  was 
offered  as  an  oblation  to  the  goddess. 

The  fifth  day  of  the  sacred  festival  was  distinguished  by 
a magnificent  procession  of  the  initiated,  who  were  clad  in 
purple  robes,  and  bore  on  their  heads  crowns  of  myrtle ; 
the  priests  led  the  way  into  the  interior  of  the  temple 
through  the  southern  portico,  which  has  been  described. 
The  worshippers  followed  in  pairs,  each  bearing  a torch, 
and  in  solemn  silence.  But  the  evening  of  the  tenth  day 
of  this  august  pageant  was  the  most  remarkable.  It 
brought  with  it  the  consummation  of  the  mystic  ceremo- 
nies. On  it,  the  initiated  were  admitted  for  the  first  time 
to  a full  enjoyment  of  the  privileges  which  the  mysteries 
conferred.  Having  gone  through  the  previous  rites  of  fast 


113 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


ing  and  purification,  they  were  clad  in  the  sacred  fawn 
skin,  and  led  at  eventide  into  the  vestibule  of  the  temple. 
The  doors  of  the  building  itself  were  as  yet  closed.  Then 
the  profane  were  commanded  by  the  priests  with  a loud 
voice  to  retire.  The  worshippers  remained  alone.  Pre- 
sently strange  sounds  were  heard ; dreadful  apparitions, 
as  of  dying  men,  were  seen  ; lightnings  flashed  through  the 
thick  darkness  in  which  they  were  enveloped,  and  thunders 
rolled  around  them ; light  and  gloom  succeeded  each  other 
with  rapid  interchange.  After  these  preliminaries,  at 
length  the  doors  of  the  temple  were  thrown  open.  Its  in- 
terior shone  with  one  blaze  of  light.  The  votaries  were 
then  led  to  the  feet  of  the  statue  of  the  goddess,  who  was 
clad  in  the  most  gorgeous  attire  ; in  her  presence  their  tem- 
ples were  encircled  by  the  priests  with  the  sacred  wreath  of 
myrtle,  which  was  intended  to  direct  their  thoughts  to  the 
myrtle  groves  of  the  blessed  in  those  happy  isles  to  which 
they  would  be  carried  after  death  ; their  eyes  were  dazzled 
with  the  most  vivid  and  beautiful  colors,  and  their  ears 
charmed  with  the  most  melodious  sounds,  both  rendered 
more  enchanting  by  their  contrast  with  those  fearful  and 
ghastly  objects  which  just  before  had  been  offered  to  their 
senses.  They  were  now  admitted  to  behold  visions  of  the 
creation  of  the  universe,  to  see  the  workings  of  the  divine 
agency  by  which  the  machine  of  the  world  was  regulated 
and  controlled,  to  contemplate  the  state  of  society  which 
prevailed  upon  the  earth  before  the  visit  of  Ceres  to  Attica, 
and  to  witness  the  introduction  of  agriculture,  of  sound 
laws,  and  of  gentle  manners,  which  followed  the  steps  of 
that  goddess ; to  recognize  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  as 
typified  by  the  concealment  of  corn  sown  in  the  earth,  by 
its  revival  in  the  green  blade,  and  by  its  full  ripeness  in  the 
golden  harvest ; or,  as  the  same  idea  was  otherwise  ex- 
pressed,  by  the  abduction  of  Proserpina,  the  daughter  of 
Ceres,  to  the  region  of  darkness,  in  order  that  she  might 


ELEUSINIAN  MYSTERIES. 


119 


pass  ?ix  months  beneath  the  earth,  and  then  arise  again  to 
spend  an  equal  time  in  the  realms  of  light  and  joy.  Above 
all,  they  were  invited  to  view  the  spectacle  of  that  happy 
state  in  which  they  themselves,  the  initiated,  were  to  exist 
hereafter.  These  revelations  contained  the  greatest  happi- 
ness to  which  man  could  aspire  in  this  life,  and  assured 
him  of  such  a bliss  as  nothing  could  exceed  or  diminish  in 
the  next. 

Besides  the  various  rites  and  ceremonies  described 
above,  several  others  are  mentioned,  but  it  is  not  known  to 
which  day  they  belonged  ; the  Eleusinian  games,  which 
Mersius  assigns  to  the  seventh  day,  are  said  to  have  been 
the  most  ancient  in  Greece.  In  these  contests,  the  prize 
of  the  victors  consisted  of  ears  of  barley.  It  was  consider- 
ed the  greatest  profanation  of  the  Eleusinia,  for  any  to 
come  as  a supplicant  to  the  temple  with  an  olive  branch, 
and  whoever  did  so,  was  put  to  death  without  trial,  or  fined 
one  thousand  drachmae.  At  other  festivals,  as  well  as  at 
Eleusis,  no  man  could  be  seized  or  arrested  for  any  offence 
during  the  celebration.  The  garments  in  which  the  vota- 
ries were  initiated,  were  held  sacred,  and  considered  as  effi- 
cacious in  averting  evils,  charms,  and  incantations. 

The  Eleusinian  mysteries  lasted  about  eighteen  hundred 
years  ; long  surviving  the  independence  of  Greece.  At- 
tempts to  suppress  them  were  made  by  the  Emperor  Ya 
lentinian,  but  he  met  with  strong  opposition ; and  they 
were  finally  abolished  by  Theodosius  the  Great. 

Respecting  the  nature  and  end  of  these  mysteries,  vari- 
ous opinions  have  been  entertained  by  modern  scholars. 
The  following  are  some  of  the  results  of  inquiries  made  by 
the  learned  and  judicious  Lobeck. 

In  the  very  early  ages  of  Greece  and  Italy,  and  proba- 
bly of  most  countries,  the  inhabitants  of  the  various  in- 
dependent districts  into  which  they  were  divided,  had  very 


I 


120  GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 

little  communication  with  each,  other;  and  a stranger 
was  regarded  as  little  better  than  an  enemy.  Each  state 
had  its  favorite  deities,  under  whose  special  protection  it 
was  supposed  to  be,  and  each  deity  was  propitiated  by 
sacrifices  and  ceremonies  which  were  different  in  different 
places.  It  is  further  to  be  recollected  that  the  Greeks  be- 
lieved their  gods  to  be  very  little  superior  in  moral  qualities 
to  themselves,  and  they  feared  that  if  promises  of  more 
splendid  and  abundant  sacrifices  and  offerings  were  made  to 
them  they  might  not  be  able  to  resist  the  temptation.  As 
the  best  mode  of  escaping  the  calamity  of  being  deserted  by 
their  patrons,  they  adopted  the  expedient  of  concealing 
their  names,  and  excluding  strangers  from  their  worship. 
Private  families  in  like  manner  excluded  their  fellow-citi- 
zens from  their  family  sacrifices  ; and  in  those  states  where 
ancient  aerolites  and  the  like  were  preserved  as  ancient 
Palladia,  the  sight  of  them  was  restricted  to  the  magis- 
trates and  the  principal  persons  in  the  state. 

The  worship  of  Ceres  and  Proserpina  was  the  national 
and  secret  religion  of  the  Eleusinians,  from  which  the 
Athenians  were  of  course  excluded,  as  well  as  the  other 
Greeks  ; but  when  Eleusis  was  conquered,  and  the  two 
states  coalesced,  the  Athenians  became  participators  in 
the  worship  of  these  deities.  Gradually,  with  the  advance 
of  knowledge,  and  the  decline  of  superstition  and  national 
illiberality,  admission  to  witness  the#solemn  rites  celebrated 
each  year  at  Eleusis,  was  extended  to  all  Greeks  of  either 
sex  and  of  every  rank,  provided  they  came  at  the  proper 
time,  had  committed  no  inexpiable  offence,  had  performed 
the  requisite  previous  ceremonies,  and  were  introduced  by 
an  Athenian  citizen.  These  mysteries,  as  they  were  term- 
ed, were  performed  with  some  splendor  at  the  expense  of 
the  state,  and  under  the  superintendence  of  the  magis- 
trates ; hence  it  follows,  as  a necessary  consequence,  that 


rixtiiuoS- APOLLO. 


121 


the  rites  could  have  contained  nothing  that  was  grossly 
immoral. 

PHQEBOS-APOLLO. 

The  Grecian  Apollo  is  one  of  those  divine  representa- 
tions that  are  completely  finished  to  the  finest  strokes  and 
features.  Fancy,  adorning  him  with  the  charms  of  eternal 
youth,  calls  him  the  far-shooting  god,  who  bends  the  silver 
bow  ; and  the  father  of  poetry,  who  plays  on  the  golden 
harp.  But  since  Apollo  cannot  fulfil  the  various  tasks  of 
being  on  earth  the  divine  patron  and  teacher  of  poesy  and 
music — of  delighting  the  gods  on  Olympos  with  his  lyre 
and  song,  and  at  the  same  time  driving  the  chariot  of  the 
sun,  the  imagination  of  the  poets  seems  to  have  blended 
the  two  persons  of  Helios  and  Apollo  merely  for  the  sake  of 
unity,  while  in  fact  they  recognized  two  different  beings ; 
the  one  going  up  and  down  the  sky  as  the  shining  sun,  the 
other  wandering  on  the  earth,  a new  born,  immortal  youth, 
with  golden  locks,  charming  the  hearts  of  gods  and  men 
with  play  and  song. 

The  chief  archetype  of  Apollo  is  the  sun’s  rays,  in  eter- 
nal and  youthful  splendor.  It  assumes  human  form,  and 
with  it,  rises  to  perfect  beauty,  in  which  the  very  expres- 
sion of  destructive  power  melts  away  in  the  harmony  of 
the  youthful  features.  As  in  the  rays  of  the  sun,  that  are 
both  beneficent  and  destructive,  fertilizing  and  producing 
decay,  creation  and  destruction  are  united,  so  the  divine 
form  of  which  those  rays  are  the  archetype,  unites  in  itself 
both  terror  and  mildness.  For  the  god  of  beauty  and 
youth,  who  delights  in  lyre  and  song,  carries  at  the  same 
time  the  quiver  upon  his  shoulder,  draws  the  silver  bow, 
and  in  wrath  sends  his  arrows  among  men  to  cause  by 
their  means  contagious  sickness  ; or  he  kills  them  with  his 
*oft  weapons. 

The  twins  of  Latona,  Apollo  and  Diana,  are  the  twins 
6 


i 22 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


deities  of  death,  who  divide  the  human  race  between  them. 
Apollo  takes  man  for  his  aim,  and  Diana,  woman  ; and  thus 
they  kill  with  mild  arrow,  those  who  are  overcome  with 
old  age  ; — like  the  leaves  of  verdant  trees,  that  keep  them- 
selves in  a state  of  sempiternal  bloom  and  fresh  color, 
merely  by  successively  falling  to  decay,  or  like  those  sacred 
doves  of  Jupiter,  which,  flying  by  the  dangerous  Scylla, 
always  lose  one  of  their  company,  which  is  instantly  re- 
placed by  the  father  of  the  gods,  lest  the  number  be  im- 
paired. Thus  one  generation  of  men  imperceptibly  makes 
room  for  another ; and  whoever  falls  asleep  overpowered 
by  age  and  infirmity,  is  said,  in  the  language  of  poetry,  to 
have  been  killed  by  a soothing  weapon,  either  from  the 
hand  of  Apollo  or  Diana. 

That  this  was  the  way  of  thinking  among  the  ancients, 
appears  from  the  manner  in  which  they  express  themselves. 
<fc  The  small,  happy  island  where  I was  born,”  relates  the 
swineherd  Eumaeos  to  Ulysses,  u is  situated  beneath  a 
healthy  and  benevolent  sky  ; there  men  are  not  swept 
away  by  odious  sickness ; but  when  old  age  comes  ojfer 
them,  Diana  or  Apollo  appears  with  silver  bow,  and  kills 
them  with  arrows  that  give  no  pain.”  (Od.  xv.  402.)  And 
when  Ulysses,  in  the  lower  world,  asks  the  shade  of  his 
mother  in  what  manner  she  had  died,  he  receives  the 
answer,  “ Not  Diana’s  soft  arrow  has  killed  me,  nor  has 
sickness  taken  me  away  ; but  the  longing  after  thee,  my 
son,  and  my  grief  for  thy  fate,  deprived  me  of  sweet  life.” 
(Od.  xi.  196.) 

Neither  Apollo  nor  Diana,  however,  has  always  this 
pleasing  and  beneficent  appearance.  From  time  to  time, 
the  god  of  the  silver  bow  is  seen  angry  at  the  inhabitants 
of  the  earth ; and  then  he  walks  forth  like  a black  cloud, 
or  the  dark  night  itself,  and  the  quiver  rings  on  his  back 
as  he  moves  on  with  hasty  anger.  u Then  he  sends  his 
arrows  into  the  camp  of  the  Greeks,  there  to  produce  con 


PHCEBOS- APOLLO. 


123 


tagious  sickness,  which  sweeps  away  man  by  man,  and 
suffers  not  the  flames  of  the  funeral  piles  to  be  extin- 
guished.” (II.  i.  44.)  And  in  the  same  manner  the  wrath 
of  Diana  brings  destruction  upon  Actseon  and  the  children 
of  Niobe. 

Still,  serenity,  benevolence,  and  loveliness  constitute  the 
chief  character  of  Apollo ; and  he  whose  arrow  wounds, 
heals  again.  Not  only  is  he  venerated  under  the  name 
of  the  Healing,  but  he  is  also  the  father  and  teacher  of 
iEsculapius,  who  is  acquainted  with  the  means  of  soothing 
every  pain,  and  knows  a medicine  for  every  sickness,  and 
who,  by  his  art,  can  save  even  from  death  itself. 

With  reference  to  this  turn  of  character,  an  ancient  poet, 
endeavoring  to  fill  the  mind  with  serenity  and  joy,  sug- 
gests the  following  consolation  : “ If  thou  art  afflicted  now, 
and  mourning,  it  will  not  always  be  thus ; for  not  always 
does  Apollo  bend  his  bow  ; soon  will  he  awaken  again  the 
silent  Muse  to  play  and  song.”  (Horace,  Lib.  ii.  Od.  x.) 

In  all  these  fictions,  the  image  of  Helios  is  to  be  recog- 
nized : it  is  the  animating  sunbeam  which  awakens  the 
heart  to  gaiety  and  song.  It  is  also  the  all-seeing,  the 
all-discovering  sunbeam,  that  assumed  a form  in  the  pro- 
phesying Apollo,  as  well  as  in  Apollo  the  herdsman  ; for 
those  flocks  that  graze  without  herdsmen  and  shepherds, 
are,  as  fiction  asserts,  watched  by  the  all  seeing  sun.  Yet, 
all  these  grand  features  are  embodied  in  the  more  tender 
form  of  that  Apollo  whose  parents  were  Jupiter  and  La- 
tona.  He  is  the  shepherd  of  king  Admetos’  flocks  ; he 
inspires  the  divining  Pythia  ; he  leads  the  choruses  of  the 
Muses.  n 

Fable  says  that  on  the  isle  of  Delos  he  awoke  to  life; 
and  soon  after  his  birth,  the  divine  power  that  dwelt  in 
him  speedily  developed  itself.  The  august  goddesses,  The- 
mis, Rhea,  Dione,  and  Aphrodite,  were  present  at  his  birth, 
and  wrapped  him  in  soft  habiliments.  Thetis  gave  him 


124 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


nectar  and  ambrosia ; and  when  he  had  tasted  the  divine 
food,  his  swathing  bands  no  longer  confined  him  ; the  di- 
vine boy  stood  on  his  feet,  and  even  his  tongue  was  loosed. 
“ The  golden  lyre,57  cried  he,  “ shall  be  my  joy  ; the  carved 
bow  my  pleasure  ; and  in  oracles  will  I reveal  the  events 
of  futurity.57  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  now  a bloom- 
ing youth,  he  walked  forth  majestically  over  mountains 
and  islands.  He  came  to  Pytho,  with  its  craggy  summits, 
and  there  arose,  as  swift  as  thought,  into  the  assembly  of 
the  celestials.  There  then  at  once  reigned  lyre  and  song; 
the  Graces  tenderly  embracing  their  friends  and  com- 
panions, the  Horae,  joined  with  them  in  the  Olympian 
dance ; while  the  Muses,  with  harmonious  voice,  sang  the 
joy  of  the  blessed  immortals  ; the  grief  of  mortal  men,  who 
know  no  means  of  escaping  old  age  and  death. 

When  Apollo  afterwards  descended  from  the  Olympian 
seat,  he  killed,  on  the  very  spot  from  which  his  oracles 
were  to  spread  over  the  earth,  the  dragon  Python,  and  the 
beams  of  the  sun  caused  the  slain  monster  to  decay. 
There,  in  the  deep,  rocky  valley  of  Parnassus,  stood  the 
famous  temple  of  Apollo,  and  over  the  cleft  of  a cavern, 
the  tripod  was  placed  on  which  the  priestess  sat,  through 
whose  mouth  the  god  revealed  the  future. 

The  tradition  of  the  birth  of  Apollo  on  the  floating  island 
of  Delos,  is  taken  from  the  Egyptian  mythology,  which 
asserts  that  the  son  <5f  Vulcan,  supposed  to  be  Or  us,  was 
saved  by  his  mother  Isis  from  the  persecution  of  Typhon, 
and  intrusted  to  the  care  of  Latona,  in  the  island  of  Chem- 
nis.  The  ancient  origin  of  the  god  is  clearly  shown,  even 
in  his  very  name ; and  a very  striking  analogy  exists 
between  the  Apollo  of  the  Greeks  and  the  Crishna  of  the 
Hindoos.  Both  are  inventors  of  the  flute ; Crishna  is 
deceived  by  the  nymph  Tulasi,  as  Apollo  is  by  Daphne  ; 
and  the  two  maidens  are  each  changed  into  trees,  of 
which  the  Tula<n  is  sacred  to  Crishna,  and  the  Bay  tree 


PHCEBOS-APOLLO. 


125 


to  Apollo.  The  victory  of  Crishna  over  the  serpent  Calya- 
naga,  on  the  borders  of  Yamuna,  recalls  to  mind  that  of 
Apollo  over  the  serpent  Python  ; and  it  is  worthy  of  re- 
mark, that  the  vanquished  reptiles  respectively  participate 
in  the  homage  that  is  rendered  to  the  victors. 

It  appears  that  the  ancient  Egyptians,  after  having 
ascertained  the.  great  benefit  of  the  inundation,  changed 
the  name  of  their  evil  genius,  the  water  monster,  from  Ob 
to  Python,  which  had  reference  to  the  deadly  effects  of 
the  miasmata,  arising  from  the  steam  of  the  mud  which 
the  deluge  had  left  upon  the  earth ; and  in  this,  he  is 
plainly  making  an  allusion  to  Typhon,  which,  by  a simple 
transposition,  is  the  same  name.  In  making  Python  spring 
from  the  slime  of  the  deluge,  does  not  the  poet  intend  to 
point  out  the  noxious  vapors  that  rise  in  Egypt  after  the 
Nile  has  subsided?  And  when  he  says  that  Apollo  slew 
him  with  his  arrows,  does  he  not  conceal,  under  this  em 
blem,  the  victory  of  Orus  over  Typhon,  or.  at  least,  the 
triumphs  of  the  sunbeams  over  the  vapors  of  the  Nile? 
Python,  says  Bailey,  is  derived  from  Putho  to  putrify.  and 
the  serpent  Python  being  slain  by  Apollo,  is  thus  inter- 
preted : by  Python  is  understood  the  ruin  of  the  waters  : 
Apollo  slew  this  serpent  with  his  arrows  ; that  is,  the 
beams  of  the  sun  dispersed  the  noxious  vapors  which  de- 
stroyed man  like  a devouring  serpent. 

A very  strong  affinity  exists  between  the  religious  sys 
terns  of  Egypt  and  Greece.  We  find  the  same  animal,  the 
wolf,  which,  by  its  oblique  course,  typified  the  path  of  the 
star  of  day.  consecrated  to  the  sun,  both  at  Licopolis  and 
Delphi.  This  emblem  transfers  to  the  Greek  traditions, 
the  fables  relative  to  the  combats  of  Osiris.  The  Egyptian 
comes  to  the  aid  of  his  son  Horus  under  the  figure  of  a 
wolf;  and  Latona,  the  mother  of  Apollo,  disguises  herself 
in  the  same  form  when  she  quits  the  Hyperborean  region 
to  take  refuge  in  Delos. 


1 2b 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


In  the  festival  of  the  Daphnephoria,  celebrated  ever} 
ninth  year,  in  honor  of  Apollo,  it  is  impossible  not  to  see 
an  astronomical  character.  It  took  its  name  from  the 
laurel,  or  bay  tree,  which  the  finest  youths  of  the  city  car- 
ried in  solemn  procession,  and  which  was  adorned  with 
flowers  and  branches  of  olives.  To  an  olive  tree,  decorated 
in  its  turn  with  branches  of  laurel  and  flowers  intertwined, 
and  the  lowest  part  covered  with  a veil  of  purple,  were  sus- 
pended brazen  globes  of  different  sizes,  types  of  the  sun 
and  planets,  and  ornamented  with  purple  garlands,  the 
number  of  which  (three  hundred  and  sixty-five)  was  the 
symbol  of  the  solar  year.  On  the  altar,  too,  burned  a 
flame,  the  agitation,  color,  and  crackling  of  which  served  to 
reveal  the  future ; a species  of  divination  peculiar  to  the 
sacerdotal  order,  and  which  prevailed  also  at  Olympia  in 
Elis,  the  centre  of  most  of  the  sacerdotal  usages  of  the  day. 

At  the  head  of  the  procession  walked  a youth,  whose 
father  and  mother  must  be  living.  This  youth  was,  ac- 
cording to  Pausanias,  chosen  priest  of  Apollo  every  year, 
and  called  Bay-Bearer.  He  was  always  strong,  of  a hand- 
some figure,  and  selected  from  the  most  distinguished 
families  of  Thebes.  Immediately  before  this  youthful 
priest,  walked  his  nearest  kinsman,  who  bore  the  adorned 
olive  wood.  The  priest  followed,  bearing  in  his  hand  a bay- 
branch  ; his  hair  dishevelled  and  floating,  wearing  a golden 
crown,  and  a magnificent  robe,  which  reached  down  to  his 
feet,  and  a kind  of  shoe  which  was  introduced  by  Iphicra- 
tes ; behind  the  priest  followed  a choir  of  maidens,  with 
boughs  in  their  hands,  and  singing  hymns.  In  this  manner 
the  procession  went  to  the  temple  of  Apollo  Ismenius.  It 
would  seem  from  Pausanias,  that  all  the  boys  of  the  town 
wore  laurel  garlands  on  this  occasion,  and  that  it  was  cus- 
tomary for  the  sons  of  wealthy  parents  to  dedicate  to  the 
god  brazen  tripods  ; a considerable  number  of  which  were 
seen  by  Pausanias  himself  Among  them  was  one  which 


PHCEBOS-APOLLO. 


127 


was  said  to  have  been  dedicated  by  Amphitryon  at  the  time 
when  Hercules  was  Daphnephoros.  • This  last  circumstance 
shows  that  the  Daphnephoria,  whatever  changes  may  have 
been  subsequently  introduced,  was  a very  ancient  festival. 

There  was  a great  similarity  between  this  festival  and  a 
solemn  rite  observed  by  the  Delphi  ans,  who  every  ninth 
year  sent  a sacred  boy  to  Tempe.  This  boy  went  on  the 
sacred  road  and  returned  home  as  Bay-Bearer,  amid  the 
joyful  songs  and  choruses  of  maidens.  This  solemnity  was 
observed  in  commemoration  of  the  purification  of  Apojlo 
at  the  altar  in  Tempe,  whither  he  fled  after  killing  the 
Python. 

The  Athenians  seem  likewise  to  have  celebrated  a fes- 
tival of  the  same  nature  ; but  the  only  mention  we  have  of 
it  is  in  Proclus,  who  says  that  the  Athenians  honored  the 
seventh  day  as  sacred  to  Apollo  ; that  they  carried  bay- 
boughs,  and  the  basket  containing  what  appertained  to  the 
sacrifice,  adorned  with  garlands,  and  sang  hymns. 

The  worship  of  Apollo  was  universal,  and  his  power  ac- 
knowledged in  every  country;  but  more  particularly  in 
Egypt,  Greece,  and  Italy,  where  temples  and  statues  were 
erected  to  his  honor.  His  most  famous  temple  was  at  Del- 
phi ; his  statue,  which  stood  upon  mount  Action,  was  par- 
ticularly famous.  It  was  seen  from  a great  distance  at 
sea,  and  was  a mark  to  mariners  in  navigating  that  dan- 
gerous coast.  Before  the  battle  of  Actium,  Augustus  ad- 
dressed himself  to  it  for  victory.  He  had  a famous  colossus 
at  Rhodes  which  was  one  of  the  seven  wonders  of  the 
world.* 

This  colossus,  or  brazen  statue  of  the  sun,  was  placed 


* The  following  enumeration  is  generally  given  of  the  Seven  Wonders 
of  the  World : The  Colossus  of  Rhodes,  the  Temple  of  Diana  at  Ephesus, 
the  statue  of  Jupiter  Olympius,  the  gardens  of  Babylon  supported  on  pil- 
lars, the  Walls  of  Babylon,  the  Pyramids  of  Egypt,  and  the  tomb  of 
Mausoleus. 


128 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


across  the  mouth  of  the  harbor  ; and  its  legs  stretched  tt 
such  a distance,  that  a large  ship  under  sail  might  easilj 
pass  between  them.  It  was  seventy  cubits  high,  or  a hun- 
dred English  feet ; its  fingers  were  as  long  as  ordinary 
statues  ; and  few  men  could  with  both  arms  grasp  one  of 
its  thumbs.  Scarcely  sixty  years  had  elapsed  before  this 
work  of  art  was  thrown  down  by  an  earthquake,  which 
broke  it  off  at  the  knees,  where  it  remained  till  the  con- 
quest of  Rhodes  by  the  Saracens  (A.  D.  684),  when  it  was 
beaten  to  pieces,  and  sold  to  a Jew  merchant,  who  loaded 
nine  hundred  camels  with  its  spoils. 

Apollo  is  generally  represented  with  long  hair,  and  the 
Romans  were  fond  of  imitating  his  figure  ; therefore,  their 
youth  were  remarkable  for  fine  hair,  which  was  not  cut 
short  until  the  age  of  seventeen  or  eighteen.  He  is 
always  represented  in  the  perfection  of  united  manly 
strength  and  beauty ; holding  in  his  hand  either  a bow  or 
a lyre,  and  his  head  generally  surrounded  with  rays  of 
light. 

Among  the  poetical  fictions  of  the  ancients,  that  of 
A.pollo  is  one  of  the  most  sublime  and  lovely,  because  it 
dissolves  the  idea  of  a destructive  power  in  that  of  youth 
and  beauty  ; thus  harmoniously  combining  two  ideas  en- 
tirely opposite.  It  seems  owing  to  this  circumstance,  too, 
that  plastic  art  in  the  most  beautiful  representation  of 
Apollo,  which,  as  a sacred  bequest  of  antiquity,  was  spared 
by  alhdestroying  time,  had  attained  to  a degree  of  perfection 
comprising  all  that  is  truly  beautiful,  the  sight  of  which 
fills  the  soul  with  admiration,  because  of  the  harmonious 
multiplicity  it  expresses.  The  Apollo  Belvidere  is  esteem- 
ed the  most  excellent  and  sublime  of  all  the  ancient  pro- 
ductions. It  was  found  about  twelve  leagues  from  Rome, 
in  the  ruins  of  ancient  Antium,  and  purchased  by  Pope 
Julius  II.  when  a cardinal;  he  removed  it  to  the  Belvi- 
dere of  the  Vatican  from  whence  it  takes  its  name. 


PHCEBOS-AJOLLO. 


129 


Apollo  Musagetes  is  another  celebrated  statue  which 
takes  its  name  from  his  occupation  as  Musagetes  or  con- 
ductor of  the  songs  of  the  Muses. 

The  animals  and  birds  consecrated  to  Apollo  were  the 
wolf  and  hawk,  as  symbols  of  his  piercing  eye ; the  crow 
and  raven,  from  their  supposed  faculty  of  presiding  over 
the  future  ; the  cock,  which  announces  the  dawn,  and  fore- 
tells the  rising  of  the  sun  ; the  swan,  because  from  Apollo 
it  is  supposed  to  have  a faculty  of  divination,  and  fore- 
seeing happiness  in  death,  dies  singing ; the  grasshopper, 
from  its  tuneful  powers,  and  hence  the  custom  among  the 
Athenians  of  fastening  golden  grasshoppers  in  their  hair 
in  i nor  of  Apollo. 

As  the  natural  enemies  of  the  flocks  over  which  he  pre- 
sided, wolves  and  hawks  were  offered  in  sacrifice  to  him  ; 
also  bullocks  and  lambs.  The  olive  tree  was  sacred  tc 
him,  as  its  fruits  cannot  ripen  without  his  influence;  and 
the  laurel,  always  flourishing,  ever  young,  and  conducing 
to  divination,  furnished  the  leaves  with  which  he  was  often 
crowned. 

The  first  discovery  of  the  oracle  at  Delphi  is  said  to 
have  been  occasioned  by  some  goats,  who  were  feeding  on 
Mount  Parnassos,  near  a deep  and  large  cavern  with  a 
narrow  mouth.  These  goats  were  observed  by  a goatherd 
(called  by  Plutarch,  Ceretas)  to  leap  and  frisk  strangely, 
and  as  they  approached  the  cavern,  to  utter  unusual  sounds  ; 
his  curiosity  excited  him  to  examine  it,  when  he  found 
himself  seized  with  a like  fit  of  madness,  skipping,  danc- 
ing, and  foretelling  things  to  come. 

At  the  news  of  this  discovery,  multitudes  flocked  thith- 
er ; and  the  place  was  soon  covered  with  a kind  of  chapel, 
originally  made  of  laurel  boughs,  but  finally  converted  into 
a temple  of  great  magnitude  and  splendor.  Such  indeed 
was  its  reputation,  and  so  great  the  multitude  that  came 


APOLLO  MUSAGETES. 


PHCEBOS- APOLLO. 


131 


from  all  parts  to  consult  the  oracle,  that  the  riches  brought 
into  the  temple  and  city  became  comparable  to  that  of 
the  Persian  kings. 

At  first,  the  whole  mystery  requisite  for  obtaining  the 
prophetic  gift,  was,  to  approach  the  cavern  and  inhale  the 
vapor  issuing  therefrom  ; but  at  length,  several  enthusiasts 
having  in  the  excess  of  their  frenzy  cast  themselves  head- 
long into  the  chasm,  it  was  thought  expedient,  by  way 
of  prevention,  to  place  over  the  hole  whence  the  vapor 
issued,  a machine  which  they  called  a tripod,  because  it 
stood  upon  three  feet.  Upon  this  a woman  was  seated, 
when  she  imbibed  the  vapor  without  danger,  as  the  tripod 
stood  firmly  upon  the  rock.  This  priestess  was  named 
Pythia.,  the  Greek  etymology  of  which  word  is  to  inquire. 

The  Pythia,  before  placing  herself  upon  the  tripod? 
bathed  in  the  waters  of  the  fountain  Castalis,  at  the  foot 
of  Parnassos,  and  also  crowned  herself  with  the  leaves 
of  a laurel  tree  that  grew  near  the  place.  While  seated 
upon  the  tripod  she  was  closely  surrounded  by  the  priests 
of  the  temple.  The  sanctuary  itself  was  entirely  covered 
with  bay-branches  ; in  addition  to  this,  the  burning  in- 
cense overclouded  every  thing  as  if  with  mysterious  night, 
which  no  profane  curiosity  ventured  to  investigate. 

The  priestess  was  originally  a virgin  ; but  the  institution 
was  changed  when  Echecrates,  a Thessalian,  had  offered 
violence  to  one  of  them,  and  none  but  women  above  the 
age  of  fifty  were  permitted  to  enter  upon  that  sacred 
office.  They  always  appeared  dressed  in  the  garments  of 
virgins  to  intimate  their  purity  and  modesty,  and  they 
were  solemnly  bound  to  observe  the  strictest  laws  of  temper- 
ance and  chastity,  that  neither  fantastical  dresses  nor  las- 
civious behavior  might  bring  the  religion  or  sanctity  of  the 
place  into  contempt. 

There  was  originally  but  one  Pythia,  besides  subordi- 
nate priests ; afterwards  two  were  chosen,  and  sometimes 


132 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


more.  The  most  celebrated  priestess  was  Phemonoe,  sup- 
posed to  be  the  first  that  gave  oracles  at  Delphi.  They 
were  said  to  have  been  agitated  by  strange  and  ghastly 
contortions  on  ascending  the  tripod,  which  resulted  no 
doubt  from  the  anguish  of  convulsed  and  shattered  nerves. 
At  times  they  attempted  to  escape  from  the  priests,  who 
detained  them  by  force.  At  length,  yielding  to  the  im- 
pulse of  the  god,  they  gave  forth  some  unconnected  words, 
which  were  put  into  wretched  verse  by  the  poets  who 
attended,  giving  occasion  to  the  raillery,  that  Apollo,  though 
prince  of  the  Muses,  was  the  worst  of  poets.  This  oracle, 
like  all  others,  was  obscure  and  ambiguous,  and  not  inac- 
cessible to  the  temptation  of  corruption. 

The  oracle  could  be  consulted  only  on  certain  days ; 
and  excepting  on  these,  the  priestess  was  forbidden  on 
pain  of  death  to  enter  the  sanctuary  of  Apollo.  Alex- 
ander, before  his  expedition  into  Asia,  came  to  Delphi  on 
one  of  those  forbidden  days,  and  entreated  Pythia  to 
mount  the  tripod,  which  she  steadily  refused  to  do.  The 
impetuous  prince,  not  brooking  opposition,  drew  her  by 
force  from  her  cell ; on  their  way  to  the  temple,  she  ex- 
claimed, “ My  son,  thou  art  invincible  !”  As  soon  as  these 
words  were  pronounced,  Alexander  declared  himself  satis- 
fied, and  would  have  no  other  oracle.  It  was  always  re- 
quired that  those  who  consulted  the  oracle  should  make 
large  presents  to  Apollo ; and  hence  arose  the  opulence, 
splendor,  and  magnificence  of  the  temple  at  Delphi. 

The  Pythian  games  celebrated  in  honor  of  Apollo  near 
the  temple  at  Delphi,  were,  according  to  the  most  received 
opinion,  first  instituted  by  Apollo  himself,  in  commemora- 
tion of  his  victory  over  the  serpent  Python.  They  were 
originally  celebrated  once  in  nine  years,  and  afterwards 
every  fifth  year.  According  to  some  authors  the  gods 
Were  among  the  combatants,  and  the  first  prizes  won  by 


PHCEBOS-APOLLO. 


133 


Pollux  in  boxing,  Castor  in  the  horse  race,  Hercules  in 
the  Pancratium,  Zetes  in  fighting  with  armor,  Telamon 
in  wrestling,  and  Peleus  in  throwing  the  quoit.  These 
illustrious  conquerors  are  said  to  have  been  rewarded  by 
Apollo  himself,  who  was  present  with  crowns  and  laurels. 
Others  say,  that  it  was  merely  a musical  contest,  in  which 
he  who  best  sang  the  praises  of  Apollo  obtained  the  prize, 
which  was  presents  of  gold  or  silver,  and  afterwards  chan- 
ged to  a garland  of  the  palm  tree.  The  songs  which  were 
sung  were  called  the  Pythian,  and  were  divided  into  five 
parts,  containing  a representation  of  the  victory  of  Apollo 
over  the  serpent  Python.  A dance  was  also  introduced  ; 
and  in  the  48th  Olympiad,  the  Amphictyons,  who  presided 
over  the  games,  increased  the  number  of  musical  instru- 
ments by  the  addition  of  the  flute  ; but  as  that  instrument 
was  more  particularly  used  in  funeral  songs  and  lamenta- 
tions, it  was  soon  rejected  as  unfit  for  merriment,  and  the 
festivals  which  represented  the  triumph  of  Apollo  over  the 
conquered  serpent. 

Pausanias  states,  that  the  most  ancient  temple  of  Apollo 
at  Delphi  was  formed  with  branches  of  laurel ; and  that 
the  branches  were  cut  from  the  tree  that  was  at  Tempe 
The  form  of  the  temple  resembled  a cottage.  After  men- 
tioning a second  and  a third,  the  one  raised,  as  the  Del 
phians  said,  by  bees,  from  wax  and  wings,  and  sent  b} 
Apollo  to  the  Hyperboreans,  and  the  other  built  of  brass, 
he  adds,  that  to  this  succeeded  a fourth  and  more  stately 
edifice  of  stone.  Here  were  deposited  the  numerous  pre- 
sents of  Glyges  and  Midas,  Alyattes  and  Crcesus,  as  well 
as  those  of  the  Sybarites,  Spinatae,  and  Siceliots ; each 
prince  and  nation  having  their  separate  chapel  or  treas- 
ury for  the  reception  of  those  offerings,  with  an  inscription 
attesting  the  name  of  the  donor,  and  the  occasion  of  the 
gift. 


134 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


ARTEMIS  OR  DIANA. 

Artemis,  the  daughter  of  Zeus  and  Leto,  or  Latona,  and 
twin  sister  of  Apollo,  was  the  goddess  of  chastity,  of  the 
chase  and  the  woods.  As  a celestial  deity,  she  was  Luna 
or  the  moon ; as  a terrestrial  goddess,  Artemis  or  Dictyna ; 
and  in  the  infernal  regions,  Hecate,  or  Persephone.  She 
was  supposed  to  enlighten  heaven  b}^  her  rays,  to  restrain 
wild  animals  by  her  bow  and  dart  on  earth,  and  to  keep  in 
awe  the  multitude  of  ghosts  in  the  regions  below. 

Her  father,  Zeus,  at  her  earnest  entreaties,  granted  her 
the  sempiternal  state  of  a virgin  ; she  then  took  up  her 
bow  and  arrows,  kindled  her  flambeau  at  Zeus’  lightning, 
and  accompanied  by  her  nymphs  went  forth  through  the 
dark  forests  and  woody  mountains.  Bending  her  silver 
bow,  she  sends  forth  the  fatal  shafts  on  every  side ; the 
tops  of  the  mountains  tremble,  and  the  forests  resound  with 
the  panting  of  the  wounded  deer. 

Yet,  even  in  the  tumult  of  the  chase,  the  goddess  does 
not  forget  her  divine  brother,  whom,  of  all  immortals,  she 
loves  most.  After  having  enjoyed  herself  in  the  sylvan 
sport  in  which  she  delighted — speeding  over  the  hills,  fol- 
lowed by  a train  of  nymphs,  in  pursuit  of  the  flying  game, 
she  unbends  her  bow,  hastens  to  Delphi,  the  residence  of 
the  shining  Apollo,  suspends  there  her  weapon,  and  leads 
the  choruses  of  the  Muses  and  Graces,  who  chant  forth  the 
praises  of  the  heavenly  Leto  because  she  was  the  mother 
of  such  children; 

Diana  shines  brightest  as  the  sister  of  Phoebos-Apollo, 
who  sheds  upon  her  his  own  glorious  splendor.  United 
with  him,  she  with  terrible  arrows  kills  the  children  of 
Niobe;  in  union  with  him,  she  directs  her  soothing  weap- 
ons against  the  families  of  men,  who,  like  withering  leaves, 
are  to  make  room  for  generations  to  come.  She  is  said  to 
have  prepared  herself  for  this,  by  trying  her  arrows  first 
on  trees,  then  on  animals,  and  lastly  on  a lawless  city,  an- 


ARTEMIS  OR  DIANA. 


135 


noying  its  inhabitants  with  pernicious  shafts  that  carried 
sickness  and  plagues  along  with  them. 

The  archetype  of  Diana  is  the  shining  moon  ; who,  cold 
and  chaste,  scatters  her  modest,  silver  light  over  mountain- 
tops  and  forest  glades.  The  chasteness  of  Diana  is  a fear- 
ful trait  in  her  character,  as  witnessed  in  the  fate  of  Actae- 
on,  the  hunter,  who  surprised  her  when  bathing.  He  fell 
a victim  to  her  offended,  virgin  modesty,  for  she  imme- 
diately changed  him  into  a stag,  and  suffered  his  own  dogs 
to  devour  him. 

Another  example  of  her  severity  is  afforded  in  that 
unfortunate  priestess  of  hers  who  profaned  her  sanctuary 
by  receiving  into  it  the  youth  whom  she  loved.  The 
offended  goddeslS  punished  the  whole  country  with  plagues 
and  pestilence,  until  the  guilty  couple  were  sacrificed  upon 
her  altar.  Virgins  making  the  vow  of  chastity  devoted 
themselves  to  Diana,  who,  with  dreadful  punishments 
avenged  the  violation  of  this  vow.  Whenever  therefore, 
one  of  the  virgins  who  by  sacred  promises  had  become  a 
devoted  priestess  of  Diana,  changing  her  resolution,  wished 
to  marry,  she  trembled  at  the  thought  of  the  vengeance 
of  her  goddess,  and  endeavored  to  reconcile  her  by  suppli- 
cations and  sacrifices 

During  the  Trojan  war,  Diana  ventured  to  challenge  the 
stronger  Juno  ; but  she  had  reason  to  repent  of  her  for- 
ward boldness  when  made  to  feel  the  powerful  arm  of  Ju- 
piter’s spouse.  The  deer  of  the  mountain  thou  canst 
kill,  but  not  fight  against  those  who  are  stranger  than 
thou  ” Thus  saying,  Juno,  with  her  left  hand  laid  hold 
of  both  Diana’s  took  off  with  her  right  the  quiver  from 
the  shoulder  ^f  the  poor  prisoner,  and  struck  her  with  it  on 
either  cheek  so  that  the  arrows  were  scattered  upon  the 
ground  Like  a timid  dove  escaped  from  the  claws  of  a 
hawk,  so  fied  Diana,  weeping,  and  leaving  her  quiver 


136 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


which,  together  with  the  scattered  i&afts,  were  taken  up 
and  restored  to  her  by  Latona.  (II.  xi.  480.) 

Although  these  divine  persons  act  in  the  manner  of  hu 
man  beings,  the  fiction  itself,  if  viewed  as  a whole,  is  not 
destitute  of  beauty.  The  same  dreadful  quiver  from  which 
deadly  arrows  spread  over  the  race  of  mortals,  is  an  easy 
toy  in  the  hands  of  the  august  Juno,  who  uses  it  as  an  in- 
strument wherewith  to  chastise  the  forward  insolence  of 
the  less  powerful  Diana  ; and  the  latter,  whose  blushing 
cheeks  feel  the  blows  of  that  quiver  inflicted  by  a stronger 
hand,  accoutred  with  which  she  is  accustomed  to  walk  forth 
in  majestic  pride,  affords  a striking  picture  of  female  power 
deeply  humbled. 

The  wiser  Apollo,  when  challenged  by  Neptune,  on  the 
same  occasion,  returns  his  antagonist  this  answer  : 44  Why 
should  I fight  with  thee  for  the  sake  of  miserable  mortals, 
who,  like  the  leaves  of  trees,  last  but  a short  time,  and 
then  wither  away?  Let  us  refrain  from  fighting,  and  let 
them  carry  on  the  war  among  themselves.”  (II.  xi.  461.) 

Diana  was  supposed  to  be  the  same  as  the  Isis  ot  the 
Egyptians,  whose  worship  was  introduced  into  Greece,  with 
that  of  Osiris,  under  the  name  of  Apollo.  In  the  previous 
article  we  have  spoken  of  the  change  produced  by  Grecian 
ideas  on  the  attributes  and  worship  of  that  Deity,  and  a 
change  no  less  remarkable  took  place  in  that  of  Diana 

At  Delos  she  is  evidently  a cosmogonical  power : tor 
there  she  is  the  mother  of  Eros,  who,  in  the  Theogoniea, 
is  always  taken  for  the  creative  force.  With  the  Scythi- 
ans, she  is  a ferocious  goddess,  of  a frightful  form,  and 
eager  after  the  blood  of  men.  As  such  she  first  appeared 
to  the  Spartans ; since,  at  the  very  sight  of  her,  they  were 
seized  with  fright  bordering  on  delirium.  In  Colchis,  she 
has  so  little  of  the  Grecian  character  as  to  defend  the  gold- 
en fleece  against  the  attempts  of  the  Argonauts.  Her 


ARTEMIS  OR  DIANA. 


137 


hounds  guard  the  seven  doors  of  the  enclosure  which  con- 
tains the  precious  treasure,  and  her  voice  issues  commands 
to  monsters  that  recall  the  fictions  of  India.  At  Ephesus, 
the  slightest  inspection  of  her  figure  betrays  the  sacerdo- 
tal imprint.  But  how  different  a being  is  she  in  the  Gre- 
cian mythology  ! And  yet,  on  a closer  inspection,  we  shall 
find  that  even  here  none  of  her  attributes  are  completely 
lost.  Diana  is  the  goddess  of  the  chase  ; and  Isis,  accom- 
panied by  her  faithful  hounds  and  the  dog-headed  Anubis, 
searched  for  the  body  of  her  husband  ; and  the  companions 
of  Isis  become  the  pack  of  Diana.  Diana  guides  in  the 
heavens  the  silvery  globe  that  dissipates  the  obscurity  of 
the  night,  and  her  bow  is  adorned  with  the  splendors  of  the 
crescent ; Isis  is  also  the  moon,  and  the  crescent  appears 
among  the  ornaments  of  the  goddess  at  Ephesus.  Diana  is 
the  cause  of  the  infirmities  of  women,  strikes  them  with 
delirium,  and  sometimes  with  death  ; Isis  was  once  the 
Tithrambo  of  Egypt,  or  the  moon  viewed  with  reference  to 
its  unhealthy  influence. 

In  the  same  manner,  Diana  becomes  Hecate,  slain  by 
Hercules  and  resuscitated  by  Phorcys.  And  yet,  so  great 
is  the  repugnance  of  the  Greeks  to  admit  any  thing  into 
their  religious  system  which  may  have  a reference  to 
science,  that  as  they  separate  Apollo  and  Helios,  so  they 
make  two  distinct  deities  of  Diana  and  Selene ; and  thus 
render  the  goddess  of  the  chase  more  free,  more  indepen- 
dent, and  possessed  of  more  individuality. 

A chaste  virgin,  she  defies  the  power  of  love,  and  pun- 
ishes with  severity  the  errors  of  her  attendant  nymphs. 
This  notion  of  virginity,  prevalent  even  in  the  worship  of 
the  savage  nations,  is  an  idea  natural  to  man,  and  which 
sacerdotal  influence  seeks  to  record  and  prolong.  With 
the  Greeks,  however,  over  whom  none  of  this  influence  was 
exercised,  such  an  attribute  becomes  an  object  of  second- 
ary importance,  and  is  considered  the  effect  of  caprice,  or 


138 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


of  the  modesty  of  a young  female  ; and  the  poets  at  one 
time  throw  doubts  on  its  reality,  and  at  another  upon  its 
duration.  Yet,  virgin  as  she  is,  Diana  presides  over  the 
birth  of  children,  a combination  in  which  no  one  can  mis- 
take the  union  of  the  power  which  destroys  with  that  which 
creates.  We  see,  then,  how  incoherent  are  the  traces  of 
sacerdotal  ideas,  which  survive  this  strange  metamorphosis. 
The  Hertha  of  Scythia,  the  Bendis  of  Thrace,  the  Isis  of 
Egypt,  the  Diana  of  Ephesus,  that  motionless,  enigmatical, 
and  fettered  mummy,  become,  beneath  Grecian  skies,  a 
young  and  active  huntress,  who,  in  her  course  as  rapid  as 
the  winds,  pursues  on  the  mountain  tops  the  timid  inha- 
bitants of  the  woods. 

# 

Diana  is  always  represented  as  taller  by  the  head  than 
her  attendants ; her  face  somewhat  manly,  her  legs  bare, 
well  shaped  and  strong,  her  feet  sometimes  bare,  and  some- 
times covered  with  the  cothurnus*  or  buskin  of  the  ancient 
hunters.  By  poets  and  artists,  she  is  represented  as  armed 
with  bow  and  arrows,  and  has  threescore  nymphs  in  her 
train.  She  is  also  represented  with  a quiver  and  attend- 
ed by  dogs,  and  sometimes  drawn  in  a chariot  by  two 
white  stags  or  her  nymphs.  Again,  she  appears  with 
wings,  holding  a lion  with  one  hand  and  a panther  in  the 
Dther ; or  in  a chariot  drawn  by  two  horses,  one  white  and 
3tie  black. 

The  representations  of  this  goddess  are  generally  known 
by  the  crescent  on  her  head,  by  the  dogs  which  attend 


* Cothurnus  was  a kind  of  boot  or  buskin  worn  by  the  hunters,  and 
ilso  by  actors  of  tragedy,  when  they  represented  the  characters  of  gods 
or  heroes.  They  differed  from  the  sandal , which  was  a mere  sole  tied 
about  the  toes  and  ancles  with  thongs  and  straps  of  leather,  while  the  co* 
tkurnus  covered  the  foot  and  leg  as  high  as  the  calf,  and  was  orna 
mented  with  gold,  gems,  and  ivory. 


ARTEMIS  OR  DIANA. 


139 


her,  and  by  her 
hunting  habit.  As 
the  celestial  Dia- 
na, Hie  is  described 
by  Statius  as  of 
m?  estic  stature  ; 
and,  in  the  council 
of  the  gods,  ap- 
pears with  the  bow 
and  quiver  on  her 
shoulders. 

The  Diana  Tri- 
form is,  also  called 
Hecate,  and  Trivia 
by  Ovid,  Horace, 
and  Virgil,  when 
her  statues  stood 
where  three  roads 
met.  is  represented 
by  these  poets  as 
having  three  heads, 
and  sometimes  with  three  bodies.  She  was  frequently  in 
voked  in  enchantments,  as  being  the  infernal  Diana,  and 
then  appears  more  like  a Fury  than  a celestial  goddess. 

In  antique  sculpture,  Diana  is  frequently  represented 
as  descending  with  her  head  veiled  to  a shepherd  who  is 
sleeping.  This  fable  might  have  originated  from  an  eclipse 
of  the  moon  ; if  so,  her  veil  would  be  the  most  significant 
and  characteristic  part  of  her  costume.  The  ancients  repre- 
sented death  under  the  symbol  of  the  sleeping  Endymion, 
aad  upon  marble  coffins,  enclosing  the  ashes  of  youths  who 
had  fallen  early  into  the  toinb;  Diana  is  to  be  seen  descend- 
ing from  on  high  to  the  lips  of  the  happy  slumberer. 

The  inhabitants  of  Taurica  were  particularly  attached  to 


140 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


tlie  worship  of  this  goddess,  and  cruelly  offered  on  hei 
altars  all  strangers  who  were  shipwrecked  on  their  coasts. 
In  Asia  her  temple  was  served  by  a priest  who  had  always 
murdered  his  predecessor,  and  the  Lacedaemonians  yearly 
offered  her  victims  till  the  age  of  Lycurgos,  who  changed 
this  barbarous  custom  to  that  of  flagellation.  Her  most- 
famous  temple  was  that  at  Ephesus. 

ARES  OR  MARS. 

Ares,  the  son  of  Zeus  and  Hera,  and  the  god  of  war, 
presided  over  gladiators,  and  whatever  exercises  and  amuse- 
ments were  manly  and  warlike. 

From  his  name  the  hill  at  Athens,  the  assembling  place 
of  that  court  of  judicature  so  renowned  for  its  justice,  was 
called  Areiopagos ; and  also  the  hill  of  Ares,  because  he 
was  said  to  have  been  tried  there  for  the  murder  of  Hallir- 
rothios,  son  of  Poseidon. 

Ares  is  generally  represented  in  the  figure  of  a man, 
armed  with  a helmet,  pike,  and  shielcf,  or  in  a chariot  drawn 
by  furious  horses,  called  by  the  poets  Flight  and  Terror. 
Sometimes  Discord  precedes  him  in  tattered  garments, 
while  Clamor  and  Anger  follow  behind. 

His  companion,  Bellona,  daughter  of  Phorcys  and  Keto, 
was  called  Enyo  by  the  Greeks.  She  was  anciently  called 
Duelliona,  and  according  to  some  was  the  sister  of  Ares,  or 
to  others,  his  daughter,  or  wife,  and  was  often  confounded 
with  Athena,  the  goddess  of  war.  She  prepared  the  chariot 
of  Ares  for  battle,  drove  the  horses,  and  also  appeared  in 
battles  with  dishevelled  hair,  a torch  in  her  left  hand,  and 
the  right  armed  with  a whip  which  she  used  to  animate  the 
combatants. 

Thus  we  see  that  to  the  dreadful  and  terrible,  even  to 
destructive  war,  the  imagination  of  the  ancients  ascribed 
personality.  Thus  they  tempered  the  idea  of  that  wild, 
impetuous  power  that  rages  like  a tempest  through  the 


ARES  OR  MARS. 


141 


host  engaged  in  the  bloody  strife,  that  breaks  helmets, 
dashes  weapons  to  pieces,  and  crushes  chariots  ; that  throws 
alike  to  the  ground  the  valiant  and  the  faint-hearted  in  the 
whirling  'storm  of  the  battle,  triumphing  over  its  wasting 
destruction.  The  human  form  in  which  this  terrible  ap- 
pearance was  embodied  by  imagination,  and  associated  in 
the  assembly  of  the  gods,  presented  a model  to  the  war- 
rior, the  majesty  of  which  he  partly  appropriated  to  him- 
self by  bold  and  valorous  deeds. 

That  the  human  form  of  Ares  should  be  dissolved  from 
time  to  time  in  the  idea  of  the  fighting  army  itself,  lies  in 
the  nature  of  poetical  representations.  Thus,  when  in  a 
combat  before  Troy,  he  was  wounded  by  the  valiant  Dio- 
medes,  aided  by  Athena,  he  roared,  as  the  poet  tells  us, 
like  ten  thousand  men,  so  that  on  hearing  the  voice  of  the 
brazen  god  of  war,  terror  seized  both  Greeks  and  Trojans. 
Enveloped  in  clouds,  he  immediately  ascended  to  Olympos, 
appearing  to  Diomedes  as  the  nightly  gloom  that  precedes 
a tempest.  On  arriving  at  the  abode  of  the  immortal 
gods,  he  complained  to  Zeus  of  the  audacity  of  men.  But 
Zeus  reproved  him  with  angry  words : u Trouble  me  not 
with  thy  complaints,  inconstant ! Thou  art  to  me  the  most 
odious  of  all  the  gods  that  dwell  in  Olympos ; for  thou 
knowest  no  other  pleasure  than  strife,  war.  and  contest. 
In  thee  dwells  the  whole  character  of  thy  mother,  and 
hadst  thou  been  the  son  of  another  god,  and  not  my  own, 
thou  wouldst  long  ago  have  lain  deeper  than  the  sons  of 
Uranos .”  (II.  v.  850.) 

The  inconstancy  of  Mars,  with  which  he  is  reproached, 
not  only  by  his  father,  but  also  by  Minerva,  who  calls 
him  a deserter,  that  now  sides  with  one  enemy  now  with 
another,  implies  the  idea  of  war  itself,  represented  by  poe- 
try as  something  that  exists,  as  it  were,  for  its  own  sake, 
not  caring  if  the  bustle  and  tumult  of  the  battle  are  con 
tinued,  who  are  the  conquered,  and  who  the  conquerors 


142 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY, 


Although  the  violent  and  inconstant  Mars  was  often 
reproved  and  upbraided  by  Jupiter  and  Minerva,  the  more 
gentle  and  meek  deities,  and  for  this  very  reason  the  more 
powerful,  he  still  held  his  seat  among  the  celestials;  and 
on  earth,  temples  and  altars  were  erected  to  his  honor. 
Indeed,  by  his  youthful  impetuosity,  he  even  contrived  to 
win  the  love  of  the  tender  Yenus,  who,  unmindful  of  her 
duty  towards  her  husband,  maintained  a secret  intercourse 
with  the  god  of  war.  From  this  disguised  connection  be- 
tween the  tender  and  the  violent,  Harmonia  was  produced  ; 
who  afterwards  became  the  wife  of  Cadmos,  the  founder  of 
Thebes. 

In  the  same  manner  as  Venus  binds  the  impetuous  god 
of  war  by  her  tenderness,  Minerva  restrains  his  violence 
by  her  wisdom  For  when  on  a certain  occasion,  the  threat- 
ening injunction  of  Jupiter  prohibited  the  gods  from  tak* 
ing  any  part  in  the  contests  between  the  Greeks  and 
Trojans,  and  Mars  had  been  apprised  that  in  one  of  their 
fights,  Ascalaphus  was  slain,  immediately  commanded  his 
servants,  Fear  and  Terror,  to  put  hi3  horses  to  his  chariot; 
then  taking  up  his  glittering  arms  he  thus  addressed  the 
inhabitants  of  Oiyinpos:  “Be  not  angry  with  me,  c les- 
tials,  because  I go  to  avenge  the  death  of  my  son  As  ;ala*. 
phus  ; my  paternal  heart  will  not  suffer  me  to  remain  tran- 
quil, even  though  Jupiter  should  hurl  his  lightnings  upon 
me.”  Minerva  spraug  from  her  seat,  and  pulling  his  brazen 
spear  out  of  his  hand,  tore  the  helmet  from  his  head,  and 
the  shield  from  his  shoulder.  u Madman,”  she  cried,  “ thou 
wilt  bring  ruinupon  us  all,  if  Jove’s  wrath  be  excited  to 
the  utmost ! Refrain  from  thy  anger,  for  many  lie  slain 
who  were  stronger  than  thy  son,  and  many  stronger  than 
he  will  yet  fall.  Who  can  save  mortals  from  death  V 1 Thus 
spoke  the  goddess  of  wisdom,  and  brought  the  furious  Mars 
back  to  his  seat.  (II.  xv.  115.) 

In  all  these  human  representations  of  the  gods,  who 


ARES  OR  MARS. 


143 


does  not  perceive  the  display  of  great  images  and  sublime 
ideas,  which  give  beauty  and  dignity  to  the  fictions  them- 
selves? Wild  destruction,  tender  sublimity,  high  charms 
of  beauty,  and  guiding  wisdom,  are  variously  mingled  and 
concealed,  under  the  guise  of  human  forms.  4 

Mars,  according  to  his  profession  as  a warrior,  is  re- 
presented in  complete  armor,  bearing  shield  and  spear 
An  antique  gem  preserved  in  one  of  the  German  Muse- 
ums, shows  him  as  descending  from  the  cloud  capt  Olym- 
pos,  supporting  himself  by  his  right  hand  upon  the  cliffs 
of  mountains,  and  carrying  on  his  left  arm  a buckler  and 
spear. 

Among  the  ancients,  the  worship  of  Mars  was  not  very 
universal ; his  temples  in  Greece  were  not  numerous,  but 
in  Rome  he  received  the  most  unbounded  honors.  The 
warlike  Romans  were  proud  of  paying  homage  to  a deity, 
whom  they  esteemed  the  patron  of  their  city,  and  the 
father  of  the  first  of  their  monarchs.  His  most  celebrated 
temple  at  Rome  was  built  by  Augustus,  after  the  battle 
of  Philippi,  and  dedicated  to  Mars  Ultor,  or  the  Avenger. 
Among  the  Romans  it  was  usual  for  the  consul,  before  en- 
tering on  an  expedition,  to  visit  the  temple  of  Mars,  where 
h„e  offered  his  prayers,  and  in  a solemn  manner,  shook  the 
spear  which  was  in  the  hand  of  the  statue  of  the  god,  at  the 
same  time  exclaiming,  “ Mars , Vigila  ! God  of  War,  watch 
over  the  welfare  and  safety  of  the  city.” 

His  priests  among  the  Romans  were  called  Salii ; they 
were  first  instituted  by  Numa,  and  their  chief  office  was, 
to  guard  the  sacred  ancile,  which  was  supposed  to  have 
fallen  from  heaven.  The  oracle  was  consulted  respecting 
it,  and  declared  that  the  empire  of  the  world  was  destined 
for  the  city  that  should  preserve  that  shield.  Numa  Pom 
pilius,  second  king  of  Rome,  caused  several  to  be  made  sc 
exactly  like  it,  that  it  was  almost  impossible  to  distinguish 
the  original.  The  form  was  oval. 


144 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


His  altars  were  frequently  stained  with  the  blood  of  the 
horse  and  the  wolf — the  former  for  his  warlike  spirit,  and 
the  latter  for  his  ferocity ; the  dog  was  consecrated  to  him 
for  his  vigilance  in  the  pursuit  of  his  prey ; the  raven  be- 
cause he  follows  the  march  of  armies ; and  the  magpie  and 
vulture  for  their  greediness  and  voracity.  The  Scythians 
generally  offered  him  asses,  and  the  people  of  Caria,  dogs. - 
The  weed  called  dog-grass  was  sacred  to  him,  because  it  is 
supposed  to  grow  in  places  which  are  fit 'for  fields  of  battle, 
or  where  the  ground  has  been  stained  by  the  effusion  of 
human  blood. 

The  Romans  paid  great  adoration  to  Bellona ; but  she 
was  held  in  still  greater  veneration  by  the  Cappadocians, 
where  she  had  above  three  thousand  priests. 

Her  temple  at  Rome,  in  which  the  senators  gave  audience 
to  foreign  ambassadors,  and  to  generals  returned  from  war, 
was  without  the  city,  in  the  Porta  Carmentalis.  At  the 
gate  was  a small  column,  called  the  column  of  war,  against 
which  a spear  was  thrown  whenever  war  was  declared 
against  an  enemy. 

The  priests  of  the  goddess  were  called  Bellonarii ; they 
consecrated  themselves  by  making  large  incisions,  particu- 
larly in  the  thigh,  and  receiving  the  blood  in  their  hands 
to  offer  as  a sacrifice  to  the  goddess.  Lactantius  described 
them  as  cutting  themselves  most  furiously  in  her  worship  ; 
and  Tertullian  adds,  that  having  collected  the  blood  that 
flows  from  these  gashes,  they  pledged  the  neophytes  who 
were  initiated  into  their  mysteries,  and  then,  in  their  wild 
enthusiasm,  predicted  bloodshed  and  wars,  the  defeat  of 
enemies,  and  the  besieging  of  towns. 


ATHENA  OR  MINERVA. 


145 


ATHENA  OR  MINERVA. 

When  the  blue-eyed  Athena  sprang  forth  from  the  im- 
mortal head  of  Zeus,  Olympos  shook  and  trembled ; and 
the  charioteer  of  the  sun  stopped  his  snorting  steeds,  until 
the  new-born  goddess  took  off  her  radiant  armor. 

Athena  was  immediately  admitted  to  the  assembly  of  the 
gods,  and  had  great  power  awarded  to  her.  She  could 
prolong  the  life  of  men,  bestow  the  gift  of  prophecy,  and 
indeed  was  the  only  divinity  whose  authority  and  conse- 
quence were  equal  to  those  of  her  father. 

Not  being  the  offspring  of  a mother,  her  bosom  was  as 
cold  as  the  steel  with  which  it  was  covered.  Her  nature 
approached  to  manly  greatness ; tenderness  and  female 
affection  dwelt  not  in  her  heart.  By  this  disposition,  equally 
adapted  to  quiet,  unprejudiced  musing  on  art  and  science, 
and  to  undaunted  participation  in  warlike  occupations,  her 
two  fold  character,  as  Goddess  of  Wisdom  and  as  Heroine, 
is  at  once  explained  and  justified  ; for  in  a female,  the  want 
of  tender  feelings  is  always  connected  with  a desire  of  de- 
struction, which  constantly  gains  strength.  It  is  the  ten- 
der-hearted, affectionate  Aphrodite,  who,  merely  out  of  love 
to  Adonis,  and  not  on  her  own  account,  pursues  with  him 
the  roes  and  fawns  of  the  forest ; but  the  colder  Artemis 
delights  in  chase  and  destruction  itself,  only  forgetting  it 
for  a moment,  when,  with  secret  fondness,  she  steals  a look 
at  the  slumbering  Endymion. 

Athena,  the  cold  and  chaste  virgin,  being  destitute  of 
every  feeling  of  tenderness  and  languishing  passion,  finds 
her  pleasure,  like  the  stern  god  of  battle,  in  warlike  tumult, 
and  delights  in  the  sight  of  destroyed  cities.  There  is, 
however,  this  difference ; she  at  the  same  time  patronising 
the  peaceful  arts,  does  not  share  with  him  the  impetuosity 
and  violence  of  character  by  which  he  is  distinguished. 
Repulsive  coldness  is  the  chief  feature  that  characterizes 

7 


146 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


her,  and  renders  her  equally  capable  of  being  the  directress 
of  just  wars,  and  of  practising  the  laborious  task  of  weav 
ing ; of  inventing  useful  arts,  and  guiding  the  wrathful 
minds  of  heroes.  When  Achilles  was  about  to  draw  his 
sword  against  Agamemnon,  his  king  and  chief,  the  blue- 
eyed  goddess  suddenly  stood  behind  him  with  terrible 
look,  invisible  to  every  one  but  himself,  seized  his  yellow 
hair,  and  assuaged  the  wrath  of  the  young  hero  with  pru- 
dent advice.  He  withdrew  his  mighty  fist  from  the  silver 
handle,  and  the  sword  dropped  back  into  its  scabbard. 
Thus  Pallas- Athene,  even  in  the  midst  of  war,  appears  as 
a mediator  and  peace-maker ; nor  is  she  by  any  means  to 
be  confounded  with  Bellona,  who,  with  terrific  counte- 
nance, and  dishevelled  hair,  brandishes  a bloody  whip  in 
her  right  hand,  while  the  other  shakes  the  heavy  lance, 
and  drives  the  chariot  of  the  God  of  War.  Bellona  is  a 
subordinate  being,  who,  even  by  her  appearance  and  de- 
portment, betrays  her  inferior  standing.  In  her  wild  as- 
pect, no  quiet  look  discloses  the  divine  spark  of  inward 
wisdom  or  inventive  genius.  Her  glaring  eye  darts  rage 
and  fury ; her  figure  is  not  graced  with  that  majestic  air, 
in  which  the  just  ruler  of  battles  and  the  august  guide 
of  heroes  is  to  be  recognized  ; her  headlong  impetuosity, 
her  cruel  desire  of  murder  and  devastation,  discover  the 
worthy  companion  of  Discord,  as  well  as  the  ferocious  dri- 
ver of  Ares’  snorting  coursers. 

In  the  divine  person  of  Athena,  warlike  disposition  was 
tempered  partly  by  her  female  sex : yet  more  so  by  those 
faculties  which  rendered  her  the  benefactress  of  mankind 
in  bestowing  upon  them  the  peaceful  arts.  For  the  same 
goddess  who  delighted  in  the  din  of  battle  and  the  shouts 
of  fighting  heroes,  taught  mankind  the  art  of  weaving,  of 
building  ships,  and  of  pressing  oil  from  olives.  When  she 
was  engaged  in  the  contest  with  Poseidon  as  to  the  right 
of  giving  a name  to  the  capital  of  Cecropia.  than  which 


ATHENA  OR  MINERVA. 


147 


none  more  advanced  in  the  arts  and  sciences  has  ever 
adorned  the  earth,  it  was  agreed  in  the  council  of  the 
gods,  that  the  honor  of  naming  it  should  belong  to  which- 
ever of  the  claimants  should  bestow  the  most  useful  prosent 
upon  its  inhabitants.  Poseidon,  upon  this,  struck  the 
ground  with  his  trident,  and  immediately  a horse  issued 
from  the  earth.  Minerva  produced  the  olive,  and  ob 
tained  the  victory  by  the  unanimous  voice  of  the  gods, 
who  observed  that  the  olive,  as  the  emblem  of  peace,  is  far 
preferable  to  the  horse,  the  symbol  of  war  and  bloodshed. 
The  victorious  deity  called  the  capital  Athenae,  and  be- 
came the  tutelar  goddess  of  the  place. 

The  opposition  of  apparently  quite  different  and  incon- 
gruous features  in  the  character  of  Minerva,  is  by  no 
means  prejudicial  to  the  beauty  of  her  fictitious  person. 
On  the  coiftrary,  fiction  becomes  thereby,  as  it  were,  a 
sublimer  language,  which  summons  together  a number 
of  dispersed  ideas  into  tuneful  harmony ; as  is  the  case  in 
the  representation  of  Apollo.  It  is  true,  that  such  diver- 
sified ideas  are  seldom  united  in  the  microcosm  of  the 
thinking  mind ; yet  a single  glance  into  the  immense 
world  of  nature,  must  convince  us  that  their  prototypes 
are  connected  in  sisterly  union,  all  apparent  differences 
and  contradictions  of  creation  and  destruction  being  dis- 
solved, and  life  and  death  combined  in  the  most  perfect 
and  beautiful  harmony. 

Nor  can  it  be  justly  asserted,  that  the  unity  and  har- 
mony of  the  whole  in  Minerva’s  character  is  distorted  by 
the  seeming  contradiction  of  its  single  features.  They  all 
refer  to  the  cold,  reflecting  wisdom,  which,  guarded  by  the 
want  of  feeling,  and  a sort  of  forbidding  callousness, 
never  hears  the  voice  of  passion.  The  petrifying  head 
of  Medusa  threatens  from  the  shield  that  covers  Minerva’s 
breast ; and  over  her  head  hovers  the  gloomy,  melancholy 
bird  of  night.  She  is  the  faithful  friend  of  the  enduring,, 


148 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


persevering,  cold,  and  cunning  Ulysses,  as  well  as  the  ad- 
monish er,  who  recalls  the  enraged  heroes  to  presence  of 
mind. 

The  deep  sense  which  lies  concealed  in  all  the  fictions 
of  the  ancients,  betrays  itself  also  in  the  power  of  Minerva, 
being  represented  as  superior  to  that  of  Mars.  The  war- 
like spirit  that  keeps  possession  of  itself,  that  looks  with 
quiet  eye  over  the  field  of  battle,  and  at  the  same  time 
sufficiently  comprehensive  to  attend  to  the  arts  and  sciences 
of  peace,  gets  advantage  of  the  impetuous  one  who  is 
always  ready  to  fight.  When,  during  the  war  with  Troy, 
the  gods  themselves  had  engaged  in  the  combats,  either  to 
aid  the  Greeks  or  assist  the  Trojans,  and  had  challenged 
each  other,  the  turbulent  god  of  war,  rushing  on  the  more 
tender  Pallas,  furiously  thrust  his  spear  against  her  shield  ; 
but,  against  that,  even  Jupiter’s  lightnings  ar£  of  no  avail. 
The  goddess,  however,  falling  back  a little,  takes  up  in 
her  strong  hand  an  immense  field  stone,  and  hurls  it  upon 
the  forehead  of  Mars,  so  that  he  is  precipitated  to  the 
Earth,  covering  with  his  body  seven  acres  of  ground. 

Notwithstanding  the  strong,  manly  features,  with  which 
the  picture  of  Minerva  is  drawn  by  poetry,  she  still  con- 
tinues a woman,  who  shares  the  foibles  common  to  her  sex. 
She  is  said  to  have  invented  the  flute ; but  seeing  in  a 
fountain  the  distortion  of  her  face  while  playing  on  this  in- 
strument, she  threw  it  away,  to  the  great  misfortune  of 
Marsyas,  who  found  it,  and  challenged  Apollo  to  a trial 
of  skill  in  music.  Like  Juno  she  was  jealous,  too,  and  like 
her,  could  not  rest  until  Troy  stood  in  flames  and  Priam’s 
race  was  destroyed,  because  Paris  had  denied  her  as  well 
as  Juno  the  prize  of  beauty,  awarding  it  to  the  soft  charms 
of  Venus.  The  actions  of  Minerva  are  numerous,  as  well 
as  the  kindnesses  by  which  she  endeared  herself  to  man. 
She  and  Neptune  disputed  as  to  which  would  give  a name 
to  the  city  of  Oecropia.  Fabulous  as  the  narratives  of  that 


ATHENA  OR  MINERVA. 


149 


period  confessedly  are,  and  prone  as  the  inhabitants  of  At- 
tica were  to  enhance  their  national  glory,  by  adorning  its 
annals  with  fictitious  embellishments,  yet  it  is  not  difficult 
to  trace  some  footsteps  of  truth  in  those  legendary  records 
which  they  have  handed  down  to  us,  of  the  most  distant 
ages  of  their  own  history. 

The  earliest  monarch  of  this  country  whose  name  is  pre- 
served, was  Cecrops.  Backward,  beyond  him,  historical 
tradition  did  not  go.  He  was  therefore  an  Autochthon  or 
Indigenous — the  offspring  of  the  earth.  In  his  days,  it 
is  said,  the  gods  began  to  choose  favorite  spots  among  the 
dwellings  of  men  for  their  own  residence  ; or,  as  the  ex- 
pression seems  to  mean,  particular  deities  were  worshipped 
with  especial  homage  in  particular  cities.  It  was  at  this 
time,  then,  that  Minerva  and  Neptune  strove  for  the  pos- 
session of  Attica.  The  question  was  to  be  determined  by 
the  natural  principle  of  priority  of  occupation.  Cecrops. 
the  king  of  the  country  at  that  period,  was  called  upon  to 
arbitrate  between  them  in  the  controversy.  It  was  as 
serted  by  Neptune,  that  he  had  appropriated  the  territory 
to  himself,  by  planting  his  trident  on  the  rock  of  the  Acro- 
polis at  Athens,  before  the  land  had  been  claimed  by  Mi- 
nerva. He  pointed  to  it,  there  standing  erect,  and  to  the 
salt  spring  which  had  then  issued,  and  was  flowing  from 
the  fissure  of  the  cliff  which  had  opened  for  the  reception 
of  the  trident. 

On  the  other  hand,  Minerva  alleged  that  she  had  taken 
possession  of  the  country  at  a still  earlier  period  than  had 
been  done  by  the  rival  deity.  She  appealed,  in  support  of 
her  claim,  to  the  Olive,  which  had  sprung  at  her  command 
from  the  soil,  and  which  was  growing  near  the  fountain 
produced  by  the  hand  of  Neptune  from  the  same  place. 

Cecrops  was  required  to  attest  Ohe  truth  of  her  asser- 
tion. He  had  been  witness  to  the  act ; and  he  therefore 


150 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


decided  in  favor  of  Minerva,  who  then  became  the  tutelar}1 
deity  of  Athens. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  perceive  that,  in  this  tradition,  a 
record  is  preserved  of  the  rivalry  (which  may  be  consider- 
ed the  natural  production  of  the  soil,  the  form  and  the  sit- 
uation of  Attica  itself)  between  the  two  classes  of  its  pop- 
ulation— the  one  devoted  to  maritime  pursuits,  and  aiming 
at  commercial  eminence — -the  other  contented  with  its 
own  domestic  resources,  and  preferring  the  tranquil  occupa- 
tions of  agricultural  and  pastoral  life,  which  were  typified 
by  the  emblematical  symbol  of  peace.  The  victory  of  Mi- 
nerva which  it  commemorates,  is  a true  and  significant  ex- 
pression of  the  condition  of  this  country,  and  of  the  hab- 
its of  its  people,  from  the  days  of  Cecrops  to  those  of 
Themistocles. 

Athena  was  invoked  by  all  artists,  particularly  such  as 
worked  in  wool,  embroidery,  painting,  and  sculpture,  and 
it  was  considered  the  duty  of  every  member  of  society  to 
invoke  the  assistance  of  a deity  who  presided  over  indus- 
try, taste,  and  wisdom.  Her  worship  was  universal,  and 
she  had  magnificent  temples  in  Egypt,  Phoenicia,  and  all 
parts  of  Greece,  Italy,  Gaul,  and  Sicily. 

The  Panathensea,  the  greatest  of  the  Athenian  festivals, 
was  celebrated  in  honor  of  Athena  as  the  guardian  deity 
of  the  city  of  Athens.  It  is  said  to  have  been  instituted  by 
Erichthonios,  and  to  have  been  called  originally  Athenma ; 
but  in  the  time  of  Theseus,  it  obtained  the  name  of  Pana- 
thensea, in  consequence  of  his  uniting  into  one  state  the 
different  independent  communities  into  which  Attica  had 
been  previously  divided. 

There  were  two  Athenian  festivals  which  had  the  name 
of  Panathensea ; one  called  the  Great  and  the  other  the 
Less.  The  former  was  celebrated  once  in  every  five  years, 
with  great  magnificence,  and  attracted  spectators  from  all 


ATHENA  OR  MINERVA. 


151 


parts  of  Greece.  The  latter  was  celebrated  every  year  in 
tlie  Piraeus.  In  both  the  Panathenma  there  were  gymnas- 
tic contests,  among  which  the  torch  race  seems  to  have  been 
very  popular.  In  the  time  of  Socrates  a torch  race  on 
horseback  was  introduced  at  the. Less  Panathenaea.  At  the 
Great  Panathenaea  there  was  also  a musical  contest,  and  a 
recitation  of  the  Homeric  poems  by  rhapsodists ; in  these 
contests  the  victors  were  rewarded  with  vessels  of  sacred 
oil.  The  most  celebrated  part  of  the  grand  Panathenaic 
festival,  was  the  solemn  procession  of  the  Peplos,  or  sacred 
robe  of  Athena.  This  Peplos  was  covered  with  embroidery, 
the  work  of  maidens  belonging  to  the  noblest  families  of 
Athens,  representing  the  battles  of  the  Gods  and  the 
Giants,  especially  the  exploits  of  Zeus  and  Athena,  and 
also  the  achievements  of  the  heroes  in  the  Attic  mythology  ; 
hence,  Aristophanes  speaks  of  men  worthy  of  this  land  and 
the  Peplos. 

At  the  celebration  of  the  festival,  the  Peplos  was  brought 
down  from  the  Acropolis  where  it  was  wrought,  suspended 
like  a sail  upon  a ship,  and  then  drawn  through  the  princi 
pal  parts  of  the  city  to  the  Parthenon,  and  there  placed 
before  the  statue  of  the  goddess  within.  The  old  men  car- 
ried olive  branches,  the  young  men  wore  armor,  and  the 
young  women  carried  baskets  on  their  heads,  and  were 
called  Canephores.  On  this  occasion,  the  sacrifices  were 
very  numerous,  and  during  the  supremacy  of  Athens,  every 
subject  state  was  obliged  to  furnish  an  ox  for  the  festival. 
It  was  made  a season  of  joy,  and  even  prisoners  were  lib- 
erated that  the)7  might  take  part  in  the  general  rejoicing. 

The  Minerva  of  the  Romans  corresponded  in  some  meas- 
ure with  the  Pallas- Athene  of  the  Greeks.  She  was  the 
patroness  of  arts  and  industry,  and  the  mental  powers  were 
considered  as  under  her  peculiar  care.  She  was  the  deity 
of  schools  : her  statue  was  always  placed  in  them,  and  the 
five  days  of  the  festival  called  Quinquatria,  celebrated  in 


152 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


the  month  of  March,  were  holidays  to  the  scholars.  At 
their  expiration,  they  presented  their  master  with  a gift 
called  Minerval.  According  to  Varro,  Minerva  was  also 
the  protecting  goddess  of  olive  grounds  ; but  it  may  be 
doubted  whether  this  w~as  not  a transference  of  one  of  the 
attributes  of  Pallas-Athene. 

The  festivals  of 
Minerva  were  nam- 
ed Minervalia,  or 
Quinquatria.  They 
were  two  in  num- 
ber ; the  former, 
called  the  Greater, 
were  celebrated  in 
March,  the  time 
when,  according  to 
the  Tuscan  disci- 
pline, Minerva  cast 
her  lightnings.  It 
was  named  Quin- 
quatrus  as  being 
on  the  fifth  day  af- 
ter the  Ides ; the 
ignorance  of  the 
Romans  made  them 
extend  the  festival 
to  five  days  ; it  was 
followed  by  the  Tu- 
bilustrum.  The 
Lesser  was  in  the  Ides  of  J une,  and  was  celebrated  by  the 
flute  players.  As  both  the  trumpet  and  flute  came  to  the 
Romans  from  Etruria,  this  proves  Minerva  to  have  been 
introduced  there  from  that  country.  Therefore,  no  deriva- 
tion of  her  name  can  be  given,  as  it  does  not  seem  to  be  a 
translation. 


ATHENA  OR  MINERVA. 


153 


Athena  is  represented  as  a beauty  of  the  severer  kind, 
and  without  the  grace  and  delicacy  which  for  instance  dis- 
tinguished Aphrodite.  Dignity,  and  a becoming  air,  firm- 
ness and  composure,  with  regular  features,  and  a certain 
masculine  sternness,  form  the  peculiar  characteristics  of 
her  face  and  figure.  Hence  the  heads  of  her  are  so  like 
Alexander  the  Great,  that  they  have  been  occasionally  mis- 
taken for  his.  Her  dress  and  attributes  are  adapted  to 
her  character.  She  has  a helmet  upon  her  head,  and  a 
plume  nodding  formidably  in  the  air.  In  her  right  hand 
she  holds  a spear,  and  in  her  left  grasps  a shield  with  the 
head  of  the  dying  Medusa  upon  it.  The  same  figure,  with 
all  its  terrors  and  beauties,  is  also  on  her  breast  plate  ; and 
sometimes  she  is  represented  with  serpents  about  her 
shoulders.  An  owl,  the  bird  sacred  to  her,  is  sometimes 
seen  hovering  over  her  helmet 

In  most  of  her  statues,  Athena  is  represented  as  seated, 
and  sometimes  holds  in  her  hand  a distaff  instead  of  a 
spear.  When  she  was  depicted  as  the  goddess  of  the  libe- 
ral arts,  she  was  arrayed  in  a variegated  veil.  Sometimes 
her  helmet  was  covered  with  the  figure  of  a cock,  which, 
on  account  of  its  great  courage,  was  appropriated  to  the 
deity  of  war.  Some  of  her  statues  represented  her  helmet 
with  a sphinx  in  the  middle,  supported  on  either  side  by 
griffins  ;*  and  on  some  medals  a chariot  drawn  by  four 
horses ; and  in  others  a dragon  or  serpent  appears  with 
winding  spires  at  the  tops  of  her  helmet. 

The  shield  or  corselet  with  the  Gorgon’s  head  is  supposed 
by  some  to  represent  the  full-orbed  moon  ; by  others  it  is 
regar  led  as  the  emblem  of  divine  wisdom. 


* Griffin — A fabulous  animal,  said  to  be  generated  between  the  Lion 
and  the  Eagle.  It  is  described  as  having  the  head  and  paws  of  the 
lion,  the  ears  of  the  horse,  the  wings  of  the  eagle,  and  a crest  formed 
like  the  dorsal  fins  of  a fish. 


7* 


154 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


Pallas- Athene  is  in  Homer,  and  in  the  general,  popular 
system,  the  goddess  of  wisdom  and  skill.  In  war  she  is 
opposed  to  Ares,  the  wild  war-god,  as  the  patroness  and 
teacher  of  just  and  scientific  warfare.  Therefore  she  is 
on  the  side  of  the  Greeks,  and  he  on  that  of  the  Trojans. 
But  on  the  shield  of  Achilleus,  where  the  people  of  the  be- 
sieged town  were  represented  as  going  forth  to  lie  in  am- 
bush, they  are  led  by  Ares  and  Athena  together ; possibly 
to  denote  the  union  and  skill  required  for  that  service. 
Every  prudent  chief  was  supposed  to  be  under  the  patron- 
age of  Athena  ; therefore,  Odysseus  (or  Ulysses)  was  her 
special  favorite,  whom  she  relieved  from  all  perils,  and 
whose  son  Telemachos  she  also  took  under  her  protection, 
assuming  a human  form  to  be  his  guide  and  director.  In 
like  manner  Cadmos,  Heracles,  Perseus,  and  other  heroes, 
were  favored  by  this  goddess. 

As  the  patroness  of  arts  and  industry  in  general,  Pallas- 
Athene  was  regarded  as  the  inspirer  and  teacher  of  all 
able  artists.  Thus  she  taught  Epios  to  form  the  wooden 
horse,  by  means  of  which  Troy  was  taken  ; and  she  also 
superintended  the  building  of  the  ship  Argo.  She  was 
expert  in  female  accomplishments,  having  woven  her  own 
robe  and  that  of  Hera,  which  last  she  is  said  to  have  em- 
broidered very  richly.  When  Pandora  was  made  for  the 
ruin  of  man,  she  was  attired  by  Pallas-Athene  ; and  when 
Iason  was  setting  forth  in  quest  of  the  golden  fleece,  she 
gave  him  a mantle  wrought  by  herself.  She  is  said  to 
have  taught  this  art  to  mortal  females,  who  had  won  her 
affection. 

By  the  Komerid,  Athena  and  Hephaestos  are  united  as 
the  civiiizers  and  benefactors  of  mankind  by  means  of  the 
arts  which  they  taught  them,  and  we  find  them  in  intimate 
union  in  the  mythic  systems  of  Attica. 

The  aegis  or  shield  of  Zeus  and  Athena  was  supposed  to 


THE  JEGIS  UR  SHIELD. 


155 


have  been  made  originally  of  the 
skin  of  a goat,  and  afterwards  by 
Hephaestos  of  brass,  and  rendered 
terrible  by  a Gorgon’s  head  being 
sculptured  upon  it.  Lactantius  says, 
that  it  was  made  of  the  skin  of  the 
goat  which  suckled  J upiter,  and  that 
he  first  used  it  against  the  Titans. 
iEgis  is  also  used  for  the  pieces  of 
^oat-skin  with  which  the  warriors 
covered  their  breasts  and  shoulders  as  a guard  against  the 
veapons  of  their  enemies.  A variety  of  ancient  monuments 
ittest  the  antiquity  of  this  practice. 

Homer  gives  to  the  aegis  of  Zeus  the  power  of  being 
Doth  offensive  and  defensive,  as  all  his  deities,  with  what- 
ever circumstances  they  are  endued  in  common  with  mor- 
tals, are  made  to  possess  some  peculiar  and  supernatural 
power.  The  blood  which  issues  from  their  wounds  is  ichor  ; 
their  drink  is  nectar ; and  their  food  is  ambrosia.  This 
poet  always  personifies  the  effects  which  the  arms  of  his 
gods  and  heroes,  and  the  charms  of  his  gods  and  goddesses, 
have  over  mortals ; placing  in  the  girdle  of  Aphrodite  the 
most  attractive  charms  of  love,  which  influence  in  secret 
the  hearts  of  the  wisest.  He  who  on  the  buckler  of  Aga- 
memnon has  placed  Fear  and  Terror,  naturally  added  to 
the  segis  of  Zeus,  Force  and  Discord  ; and  to  add  more 
honor  to  the  arms  of  this  most  powerful  god,  he  places  the 
head  of  the  terrible  Gorgon  with  its  intertwined  serpents 
in  the  middle  of  his  breast-plate.  These  are  the  arms 
which  gave  to  Jupiter  the  name  of  JEgiochus , the  holder 
of  the  iEgis. 

The  aegis  of  Athena,  with  which  she  descended  into  the 
camp  of  the  Greeks,  to  excite  them  to  battle  and  dissuade 
them  from  the  disgraceful  intentions  they  bad  conceived 
of  abandoning  Troy  and  returning  home,  is  described  by 


156 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


Homer,  as  precious,  in  destructible,  and  eternal,  fringed 
with  a border  composed  of  a hundred  tufts  of  gold,  each 
valued  at  a hundred  oxen.* 

The  ferocious  custom  of  cutting  off  the  heads  of  their 
enemies,  or  scalping  thorn,  as  practised  by  barbarous  na- 
tions, and  which  is  undoubtedly  the  origin  of  the  segis,  is 
sometimes  found  even  among  the  Greeks ; as  in  the  Iliad 
we  find  Diomedes  cutting  off  the  head  of  Dolon.  Among 
ancient  nations,  the  head  or  scalp  of  an  enemy  was  carried 
as  a mark  of  triumph  on  their  shields  ; and  in  later  times 
they  imitated  it  in  metal  for  the  centre  and  ornament  of 
their  bucklers.  On  one  of  the  vases  in  Sir  W.  Hamilton’s 
collection,  now  in  the  British  Museum,  is  represented  a 
large  buckler,  bearing  in  the  middle  a human  head  which 
has  nothing  in  common  with  the  Gorgon.  In  more  modern 
times,  a head  was  placed  on  the  cuirass.  Homer,  in  de-« 
scribing  the  aegis,  does  not  mention  its  being  covered  with 
scales,  but  only  a skin,  in  the  middle  of  which  is  a Gor- 
gon’s head  encircled  with  snakes.  The  scales  appear  to 
be  a posterior  addition,  and  give  an  idea  of  greater  resist- 
ance. Virgil  has  not  omitted  the  scales  in  describing  the 
aegis  forged  by  the  Cyclops  in  the  depths  of  jEtna. 

As  Athena  typifies  the  mind  or  wisdom  of  Zeus,  there  is 

peculiar  propriety  in  her  wielding  the  same  aegis  with 
her  great  parent.  But  this  armor  was  not  peculiar  to 
Zeus  and  Athena,  although  generally  appropriated  to  them 
by  the  poets.  In  the  fifteenth  book  of  the  Iliad,  Apollo 
marches  at  the  head  of  the  Greeks,  conducting  to  combat 
the  people  who  followed  the  mighty,  terrific,  shagged,  daz- 
zling aegis  which  the  artist  Hephsestos  had  given  to  Zeus. 
In  the  temple  of  Zeus  at  Olympia,  there  was  a statue 
of  Arictory  which  had  a golden  buckler,  on  which  were  the 


* Theseus  gave  to  his  money  the  impression  of  an  ox.  Hence  the  ex- 
pression, worth  ten  or  a hundred  oxen. 


THE  PALLADIUM. 


157 


aegis  and  Gorgon,  probably  because  victory  proceeded  from 
Jupiter ; and  Home,  for  a similar  reason,  namely,  being 
under  the  special  protection  of  Jupiter  and  Minerva,  was 
personified  on  a beautiful  medallion,  as  a female  warrior 
armed  with  the  aegis. 

The  aegis  at  length  descended  from  deities  to  heroes, 
warriors  and  emperors.  On  a fine  cameo,  in  the  royal ^ 
library  at  Paris,  Ulysses  is  covered  with  the  aegis,  as  a 
symbol  of  the  protection  of  Minerva.  This  allegory  of  the 
protection  which  the  gods  offered  to  men,  became  a spe- 
cies of  amulet ; and  above  all,  the  Gorgon,  or  Medusa’s 
head,  was  conceived  by  the  ancients  to  have  the  virtue  of 
averting  witchcraft,  or  enchantment ; for  which  reason  the 
Roman  emperors,  without  bearing  what  is  more  properly 
the  aegis,  have  a Gorgon’s  head  sculptured  in  the  middle 
of  their  breasts  on  the  Lorica  or  brigantine.  The  only  in- 
stance generally  known,  of  the  aegis  being  fixed  on  the 
arm,  is  on  an  intaglio  in  the  cabinet  of  the  Emperor  of  Rus- 
sia, representing  Jupiter  Axur,  or  the  Beardless.  Jupiter 
is  generally  represented  with  the  aegis  on  the  left  shoulder, 
as  in  the  beautiful  cameo  of  the  royal  cabinet  at  Paris, 
which  represents  Jupiter  iEgiochus.  The  aegis  on  the 
knees,  as  in  the  figure  of  Tiberius,  on  the  grand  cameo  of 
the  same  cabinet,  indicates  peace  and  repose  to  the  world. 

The  Palladium,  a celebrated  statue  of  the  goddess  Pal- 
las-Athene,  was  about  three  cubits  high,  and  represented 
her  as  in  a sitting  posture,  holding  a pike  in  her  right 
hand  and  a distaff  and  spindle  in  her  left. 

The  Palladium  is  said  to  have  fallen  from  heaven  near 
the  tent  of  Hus,  at  the  time  when  that  prince  was  employed 
in  building  the  citadel  of  Ilion  or  Troy ; and  Apollo,  by 
an  oracle,  declared  that  the  city  should  never  be  taken 
whilst  the  Palladium  was  contained  within  its  walls.  Hence, 
the  assailants  of  Troy  became  exceedingly  anxious  to  get 


158 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


possession  of  this  treasure ; and  Ulysses,  accompanied  by 
Diomedes,  undertook  to  purloin  it.  Having  entered  the 
citadel  at  night  by  stealth,  they  stole  the  Palladium  away ; 
the  consequence  of  which  act  was  the  fall  of  Troy. 

The  Parthenon,  or  chief  temple  of  Athena,  the  virgin 
.goddess,  and  patroness  of  Athens,  stood  on  the  summit  of 
the  Acropolis.  This  celebrated  structure  is  now  reduced 
to  the  last  stages  of  ruin  and  decay  ; little  remains  of  what 
formerly  constituted  one  of  the  most  elegant,  if  not  the 
most  spacious  monuments  of  heathen  superstition,  but  this 
little  is  venerable  for  its  age  and  history ; and  highly  in- 
teresting for  the  evidences  which  it  still  affords  of  Grecian 
skill  in  architecture.  Its  beautiful  proportions  are,  in- 
deed, now  lost  in  the  surrounding  mass  of  miserable  huts ; 
its  glittering  whiteness  dimmed  by  the  corroding  hand  of 
time,  and  its  towering  columns  shattered  and  cast  down  by 
the  merciless  engines  of  modern  warfare ; but  yet,  while  a 
vestige  is  to  be  found  of  such  excellence,  it  will  not  cease 
to  be  inestimable  to  the  scientific  traveller,  and  the  philo- 
sophical inquirer  into  the  state  of  society  in  former  ages.* 

HEPHiESTOS  OR  VULCAN. 

Hephoestos,  the  Olympian  artist,  is  in  Homer  the  son  of 
Zeus  and  Hera.  According  to  Hesiod,  he  is  the  son  of 
Hera  alone,  who  in  this  wished  not  to  be  outdone  by  Zeus, 
• who  had  produced  Athena  from  his  own  brain. 

Hephmstos  is  the  god  of  fire,  especially  as  a power  of 
a physical  nature,  that  manifests  itself  in  volcanic  districts, 
and  as  the  indispensable  means  in  arts  and  manufactures. 
Hence  fire  is  called  the  breath  of  Hephmstos,  and  the  name 
of  the  god  is  used  by  the  Greek  and  Roman  poets  as  sy- 
nonymous with  it.  As  a flame  arises  from  a little  spark, 


For  a full  description  see  large  edition. 


HEFH^STOS  OR  VULCAN. 


159 


so  the  god  of  fire  was  delicate  and  weakly  from  his  birth, 
for  which  reason  he  was  so  disliked  by  his  mother,  that  she 
flung  him  from  Glympos.  He  was  received  by  Thetis  and 
Eurynome,  and  dwelt  with  them  for  nine  years  in  a grotto, 
surrounded  by  Oceanos,  and  there  made  for  them  a variety 
of  ornaments. 

According  to  later  writers,  Hephsestos  was  educated  with 
the  rest  of  the  gods  in  heaven,  and  was  expelled  from 
Glympos  by  Zeus.  Hera  raised  a storm,  which  drove 
Heracles  out  of  his  course  at  sea  ; Zeus  then  tied  her 

<r  ' 

hands  and  feet  together,  and  suspended  her  between  heaven 
and  earth.  Hephsestos  attempted  to  free  his  mother,  and, 
for  this  act,  was  kicked  down  from  heaven  by  Zeus.  The 
island  of  Lemnos  is  said  to  have  received  the  god. 

In  this  island,  where  earthquakes  and  eruptions  of  vol- 
canoes were  frequently  experienced,  and  also  in  the  smok- 
ing of  ACtna,  in  Sicily,  from  whose  bowels  the  fire  which 
found  no  vent  often  produced  a subterranean  thundering, 
imagination  has  discovered  suitable  places  for  the  work- 
shops of  liephcBStos,  in  which  the  mighty  hammers  of  the 
Cyclopes  resounded. 

Gn  Glympos,  he  is  said  also  to  have  had  his  own  palace, 
imperishable  and  shining  like  stars.  It  contained  his 
work  shop,  with  the  anvil,  and  twenty  bellows  which  worked 
spontaneously  at  his  bidding,  and  there  he  made  his  beau- 
tiful and  marvellous  works.  All  the  habitations  of  the 
gods  were  of  his  workmanship,  as  were  their  chariots 
and  arms.  He  made  armor  for  Achilleus  and  other  mortal 
heroes.  The  fatal  collar  of  Harmon ia  was  the  work  of 
his  hands.  The  brass  footed,  brass-throated,  fire-breath 
ing  bulls  of  iEetes,  the  king  of  Colchis,  were  the  gift 
of  Hephaestos  ; and  he  made  for  Alcinoos,  king  of  the 
Phaeacians,  the  gold  and  silver  dogs  which  guarded  his 
house.  For  himself  he  formed  the  golden  maidens,  who 
waited  on  him,  and  whom  he  endowed  with  reason  and 


160 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


speech.  He  gave  to  Minos,  king  of  Crete,  the  brazen 
man  Talos,  who  each  day  compassed  his  island  three  times 
to  guard  it  from  the  invasion  of  strangers.  The  brazen 
cup  in  which  the  sun-god  and  his  horses  and  chariot  are 
carried  round  the  earth  every  night,  was  also  the  work  of 
this  god. 

The  first  work  of  Hephaestos  is  said  to  have  been  a 
throne  of  gold,  which  he  presented  to  his  mother,  to  avenge 
himself  for  her  want  of  affection  towards  him — upon  which 
Hera  was  no  sooner  seated  than  she  found  herself  unable 
to  move.  The  gods  attempted  to  set  her  at  liberty  by% 
breaking  the  chains  with  which  she  was  confined  ; but  to 
no  purpose,  as  Hephaestos  alone  had  the  power  to  unloose 
them. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  the  only  instances  we  meet 
of  Hephaestos  working  in  any  other  substance  than  metal 
are  in  Hesiod,  where,  at  the  command  of  Zeus,  he  forms 
Pandora  of  earth  and  water,  and  where  he  uses  gypsum  and 
ivory  in  the  formation  of  the  shield  which  he  makes  for 
Heracles.  That  framed  by  him  for  Achill-eus,  in  the  Iliad, 
is  all  of  metal. 

He  was  celebrated  by  the  ancient  poets  for  his  inge- 
nious works.  By  their  imagination,  painful  and  wearisome 
labor,  in  a work-shop  filled  with  steam  and  smoke,  joiued  to 
the  idea  of  sublime  art,  that  works  there  indefatigably 
with  productive  genius,  was  wrought  up  into  this  divine 
being,  whose  entire  strength  was  concentrated  in  the 
mighty  arm  that  managed  the  weighty  hammer  upon  the 
anvil,  while  the  lamed  feet  were  enfeebled  and  tottering. 

He  was  hurled  from  heaven,  for  smoke  and  black  steam, 
together  with  half  smothered  flame,  do  not  agree  with  pure 
ether ; they  are  in  contradiction  to  the  idea  of  serenity, 
beauty,  and  divine  dignity.  Nevertheless,  Fancy  contrived 
to  usher  even  this  personage  into  the  splendid  theatre  of 
high,  divine  Olympos,  securing  to  him  a place  among  the 


HEFII.ESTOS  OR  VULCAN.  1B1 

celestials,  by  bestowing  upon  him  the  comical  port  r,  the 
heavenly  stage.  The  gods  raise  peals  of  laughter  whci 
they  behold  Hephmstos  in  the  place  of  Ganymedes,  making 
the  round  in  the  assembly  of  the  immortals,  reaching  then 
the  nectar  cup,  and  jesting  himself  at  his  own  bodily  do 
fects. 

Yet  the  bold  imagination  of  the  ancients,  which  we  can 
not  help  admiring,  found  means  on  the  other  hand  to  shrouc 
again  this  comical  character  in  divine  power  and  sublimity 
by  connecting  with  it  a dignity  superior  to  every  thing 
human.  Her  grand  picture  of  the  supernatural  world,  fai 
from  being  degraded  by  a figure  like  that  of  Hephaestos 
becomes,  on  the  contrary,  more  variously  shaded,  and  gains 
new  charms.  The  halting  son  of  Hera,  on  account  of  his 
deformity,  was  thrown  from  Olympos,  and  after  his  re-ad- 
mission  into  the  community  of  the  gods,  ministered  the  nec 
tar  cup  in  the  place  of  the  graceful  Ganymedes  in  so  awk- 
ward a manner,  as  to  excite  the  shouting  mirth  of  the  im 
mortals.  The  same  Hephsestos  is  the  inimitable  artist 
with  whose  assistance  even  they  themselves  cannot  dispense. 

At  his  work-shop,  the  limping  feet  are  not  prejudicial 
to  him  ; he  needs  only  his  arms.  And  with  strong  arm, 
indeed,  manages  he  the  stithy  ! Air  and  fire  are  at  his 
command.  At  his  nod  the  bellows  blow  and  kindle  the 
flames,  producing  a greater  or  gentler  heat,  according  to 
his  wants.  Every  one  of  his  ideas  is  instantaneously  car- 
ried into  effect  with  divine  genius,  and  from  beneath  his 
skilful  hands,  the  work  springs  forth  majestically.  It  is 
also  an  easy  matter  to  him  to  infuse  life  and  motion  into 
his  creations.  He  forges  twenty  tripods  rolling  upon 
wheels,  which,  at  his  command,  enter  the  assembly  of  the 
gods,  and  return  to  him  again.  He  formed  for  himself 
female  servants  of  gold,  that  support  him  when  he  is  walk- 
ing. When  he  leaves  his  stithy,  he  arrays  himself  in  royal 
attire  and  bears  a sceptre. 


162 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


Though  a de- 
formed cripple,  he 
has  the  most  beau- 
tiful being  that 
dwells  on  Olympos 
for  his  wife.  Thus 
plastic  art, although 
in  its  appearance 
poor  and  uncome- 
ly, is,  in  the  repre- 
sentation of  He- 
phaestos,  married  to 
beauty  itself.  By 
this  marriage  be- 
tween Aphrodite 
and  the  god  of  fire, 
the  comical  turn  of 
his  character  gains 
the  highest  charm ; 
the  conjugal  una- 
nimity of  the  divine  couple  being  disturbed  by  the  jealousy 
of  Hephsestos.  The  story  of  the  artificial  net,  which  the 
offended  husband  contrived  to  throw  over  Ares  and  Aphro- 
dite. while  he  called  together  all  the  celestials  to  show  them 
the  disgraceful  spectacle,  and  to  complain  of  his  misfor- 
tune, is,  in  ancient  poetry,  a source  of  amusement,  both 
among  gods  and  men. 

Especially  in  the  person  of  Hephoestos  do  we  find  that 
endeavor  to  unite  opposite  and  seemingly  contradictory 
features  into  one  character,  which  is  peculiar  to  the  fictions 
of  the  ancient3.  With  regard  to  what  is  external,  he,  the 
ugliest  of  all  the  celestials,  is  married  to  the  loveliest  being 
that  Fancy  ever  created  ; in  his  character,  the  ridiculous  is 
united .with  dignity;  and  in  his  body,  feebleness  is  con- 
nected with  strength  ; the  strong  and  skilful  arm  com- 


HEPHAESTOS  OR  VULCAN. 


163 


pensating  for  the  limping  feet  We  are  by  no  means  to 
consider  this  apparent  inconsistency  in  the  poetical  pro- 
ductions of  the  ancients  as  a defect,  originating,  perhaps, 
in  the  heedless  play  of  humor  ; on  the  contrary,  we  are 
rather  to  admire  the  ingenuity  and  boldness  of  Imagina- 
tion, who  shrinks  not  from  seeming  difficulties,  and  suc- 
ceeds in  adjusting  the  variety  of  materials,  collected  together 
for  the  picture  of  her  celestial  world,  into  so  happy  and 
concordant  a composition 

The  fiction  of  Hephaestos  also  shows  us  the  high  estima- 
tion in  which  the  ancients  held  the  art  of  working  metals  j 
it  is.  of  all  the  arts,  the  peculiar  business  of  a god. 

Although  Hephaestos  first  appears  in  a clear  and  distinct 
form  among  the  modern  gods,  yet  his  person  may  be  faintly 
recognized  through  the  clouds  in  which  the  ancient  deities 
are  shrouded.  The  Curetes,  or  Corybantes,  were,  according 
to  an  old  tradition,  his  descendants.  He  was  likewise  one 
of  the  most  ancient  Egyptian  deities,  or  perhaps  the  most 
ancient  of  them.  The  Curetes  made  a noise  with  their 
weapons,  which,  as  tradition  relates.  • were  of  iron.  The 
Cyclopes,  before  the  reign  of  Zeus,  had  prepared  thunder 
and  lightning  in  the  caverns  of  the  earth  ; and  Earth  her- 
self had  already  forged  the  sickle  with  which  Saturn  was 
maimed.  According  to  another  tradition,  the  Oabeiri,  a 
kind  of  mysterious  beings,  who,  in  the  remotest  times  of 
antiquity,  were  venerated  in  Egypt  and  Saniothrace,  were 
sons  or  descendants  of  Hephsestos.  His  person  itself, 
however,  is  always  hidden  in  darkness. 

That  mythology  represents  the  fine  arts  as  assisting  each 
other,  is  a fine  and  significant  intimation.  ^ When  Prome- 
theus was  occupied  in  forming  his  men,  both  Athena  and 
Hephaestos  lent  him  their  aid  ; and  when  the  latter  was 
afterwards,  at  the  command  of  Zeus,  obliged  to  fasten  the 
father  of  mankind  to  the  fatal  rock,  he,  not  daring  to  resist 


1(54 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


the  will  of  the  thunderer,  complied  with  it,  amid  tears  and 
lamentations. 

Vulcan,  the  male  artist  among  the  celestials,  had  a desire 
to  marry  Minerva,  the  female  one  ; but  she  withstood  his 
entreaties  as  well  as  threats.  His  son  Erichthonios,  the 
earth-born,  is  said,  however,  to  have  been  always  a favorite 
with  Minerva.  She  appointed  him  king  of  her  beloved 
city  of  Athens,  where  the  desire  of  hiding  his  mis  shapeu 
feet,  both  of  which  were  those  of  a dragon,*  led  him  to  the 
invention  of  the  covered  four-wheel  carriage. 

The  God  of  Fire,  represented  by  Homer,  on  occasion  of 
Thetis  coming  to  his  dwelling  to  see  him  and  his  wife,  and 
to  order  al  the  same  time  a new  suit  of  armor  for  her  son 
Achilles,  is  entirely  human.  No  sooner  had  he  heard  of 
the  august  Thetis,  the  old  friend  of  his  house,  than,  in 
order  to  appear  with  decency  in  the  presence  of  the  god- 
dess, he  before  leaving  his  work-shop,  washed  his  face,  breast, 
neck  and  hands,  with  a wet  sponge,  lest  his  visitor  should 
be  offended  at  beholding  him  covered  with  dust,  to  which 
his  occupation  necessarily  exposed  him. 

The  worship  of  Vulcan  was  well  established,  particularly 
in  Egypt,  at  Athens,  and  at  Rome.  In  the  sacrifices  that 
were  offered  to  him,  it  was  usual  to  burn  the  whole  victim, 
and  not  to  reserve  a part  as  in  immolations  to  other  gods. 
A calf  and  a boar-pig  were  the  principal  victims  offered. 

Vulcan  was  sometimes  represented  as  lame  and  deform- 
ed, holding  a hammer  in  the  air,  ready  to  strike  ; while 
with  the  other  hand  he  turns,  with  his  pincers,  a thunder- 
bolt upon  his  anvil.  He  appears  in  some  monuments  with 
a long  beard,  dishevelled  hair,  his  figure  partially  covered, 
and  a small,  round  cap  on  his  head,  and  holding  in  his 


* It  is  worthy  of  observation,  that,  in  the  mythological  fictions  of  the 
ancients,  to  almost  every  being  sprung  from  the  earth,  or  related  to  it, 
dragon  form,  or  dragon  feet  are  ascribed. 


APHRODITE  OR  VENUS. 


165 


band  the  pincers  and  hammer.  The  Egyptians  represented 
him  under  the  figure  of  a monkey. 

Upon  antique  gems,  he  is  commonly  represented  as  an 
artist,  occupied  in  his  work-shop  with  forging  arrows  for 
Cupid. 

APHRODITE  OR  VENUS. 

Aphrodite,  the  perfection  of  creation,  the  Goddess  of 
Love  and  Beaqty,  who  presided  over  the  propagation  of 
every  species  of  being,  was,  according  to  Homer,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Zeus  and  the  blooming  Dione,  the  youngest  of  the 
Titan  sisters. 

Besides  the  numberless  local  divinities  of  this  name,  the 
first  mythologists  acknowledged  two  original  powers — the 
eldest  a child  of  Uranos  and  last  production  of  Heaven, 
and  therefore  of  the  Titan  race,  who  bore  her  part  in  the 
productions  of  the  universe ; and  the  youngest,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Zeus  and  Dione — the  power  arising  from  the  vivify- 
ing, ethereal  spirit,  acting  upon  the  plenitude  of  matter. 
According  to  Orpheus,  the  former  brought  forth  the  world 
ind  all  it  contains.  u All  things  are  of  thee,”  says  he ; 
* thou  cementest  the  universe,  thou  swayest  the  three-fold 
Fates ; thou  generatest  whatever  is  in  the  heavens  above, 
)r  the  teeming  earth  below,  or  in  the  unfathomed  depths  of 
‘he  sea.”  Euripides  makes  Aphrodite  the  daughter  of 
Kronos  and  Eunomia  ( Time  and  Good  Order). 

The  Grecian  Aphrodite  arose  from  the  foam  of  the  sea 
ivas  re  eeived  by  the  Horae,  who  dressed  her  in  divine  attire, 
placed  a golden  crown  upon  her  head,  and  adorned  her 
r eck,  arms,  and  ears  with  golden  ornaments.  Zeus  gave 
her  the  Graces  for  companions,  Cupids  attended  upon  her, 
md  her  chariot  was  drawn  by  doves.  Every  stroke  in  this 
picture  breathes  tenderness  ; yet,  the  son  of  the  goddess  is 
irmed  with  bow  and  arrows,  indicating  the  power  nf  his 
heavenly  mother,  the  all-subduing  deity. 


166 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


The  dominion  of  Aphrodite  over  the  heart  was  assisted 
and  supported  by  a famous  girdle,  called  zone  by  the 
Greeks,  and  cestus  by  the  Latins.  This  mysterious  cincture 
gave  beauty  and  grace  to  the  wearer,  even  when  deformed, 
and  possessed  the  power  of  inspiring  love.  When  Hera 
wished  to  inspire  Zeus  with  this  affection,  she  borrowed  the 
magic  girdle  from  Aphrodite. 

In  this  lovely  goddess,  those  charms  of  grace  and  beauty 
are  venerated  which  allude  to  matrimonial  union ; but  as 
the  beneficent  impulse  of  love,  if  not  carefully  guarded  by 
reason  and  morality,  may  prove  pernicious,  bringing  de~ 
struction  on  individuals,  as  well  as  war  and  mischief  upon 
-whole  nations,  the  Goddess  of  Love  is  represented  as  a 
dreadful  being. 

Having  promised  Paris  the  fairest  wife  on  earth,  be- 
cause he  adjudged  the  prize  of  beauty  to  her  in  preference 
to  all  the  other  goddesses,  she  incited  him  to  deprive  Mene- 
laos,  king  of  Sparta,  of  his  lawful  spouse,  the  god-like 
Helena — at  the  same  time  instilling  into  the  bosom  of  this 
woman  inconstancy  and  unfaithfulness.  Thus  the  goddess 
kept  her  word,  not  caring  for  the  misery  and  ruin  in 
which  it  might  result ; and  at  all  times,  and  in  every  dan- 
ger, she  proves  a zealous  friend  to  Paris.  During  the  siege 
of  Troy,  the  offended  Menelaos  was  about  to  kill  Paris  in 
single  combat,  when  Aphrodite  suddenly  covered  him  with 
nightly  darkness,  and  led  him  safely  to  his  perfumed  closet. 

Should  this  deity  unite  in  herself  the  cold  wisdom  of 
Athena,  or  the  awful  earnestness  of  Themis,  then  indeed 
she  would  be  incapable  of  the  injustice  of  gratifying  the 
wishes  of  one  favorite  at  the  expense  of  a whole  city  ; nay, 
of  a whole  country,  laid  waste  on  his  account.  But  then 
she  would  likewise  cease  to  be  exclusively  the  goddess  of 
Love,  or  a product  of  Fancy;  in  whose  person  is  repre- 
sented the  influence  of  the  passion,  indifferent  to  the  con- 
sequences ; not  caring  whether  it  leaves  the  traces  of  bloody 


APHRODITE  OR  VENUS 


167 


wars,  or  ages  exhibiting  the  bliss  of  peace,  together  with 
generations  rejoicing  in  their  own  existence. 

In  the  productions  of  Fancy,  it  is  the  very  want  of  com- 
pleteness, the  very  appearance  of  defect,  in  the  features  of 
the  person  represented,  by  which  alone  imagination  is  ena- 
bled to  create  and  people  a whole  world  with  supernatural 
beings,  each  distinguished  by  its  own  characteristics.  The 
august  Hera  is  destitute  of  placid  loveliness,  and  is  obliged 
to  borrow  the  girdle  of  Aphrodite  ; the  mighty  god  of  war 
is  deficient  in  reflection  and  prudence,  and  his  impetuosity 
is  restrained  by  Athena. 

Aphrodite  is  possessed  of  the  highest  charms  imagina- 
ble ; but  Athena,  destitute  of  female  delicacy,  is  far  supe- 
rior to  her  in  power.  In  one  of  the  battles  fought  before 
Troy,  in  which  the  gods  themselves  at  last  challenged  each 
other,  Aphrodite  being  on  the  side  of  the  Trojans,  received 
from  the  strong  hand  of  Athena  (who  assisted  the  Greeks) 
such  a blow  as  made  her  knees  sink  under  her. 

u Would  to  Heaven,”  exclaimed  Athena,  triumphantly, 
“ that  all  the  Trojans  might  equal  the  heroism  and  valor 
of  Aphrodite  !”  (II.  xii.  423.)  And  at  another  time,  Aphro- 
dite, when  wounded  in  her  snow-white  hand  by  the  cold 
Diomedes,  came  to  Olympos,  complaining  to  her  mother 
Dione  of  the  daring  of  mortal  men.  Athena  railed  at  her 
in  terms  like  these  : “ Aphrodite,  forsooth,  was  persuading 
a handsomely  dressed  Grecian  lady  to  follow  along  with  her 
beloved  Trojans  ; and,  in  caressing  the  fondling,  she 
scratched  her  delicate  hand  with  the  golden  clasp  which 
fastened  the  robe  of  her  favorite.”  Then  the  father  of  the 
gods  and  men  smiled,  and  said,  “ Warlike  work,  my  love, 
is  not  thy  business  ; it  is  thy  sweet  care  to  prepare  the  joys 
Of  the  wedding  feast ; the  care  of  war’s  wild  tumult  leave 
to  Ares  and  Athena.”  (II.  v.  42.) 

Thus  the  imagination  of  the  ancients  sportively  trifles 
with  the  deities  whom  she  created  after  the  image  of  man, 


168 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


yet  always  choosing  such  natural  prototypes  as  are  both 
grand  and  sublime. 

The  worship  of  Aphrodite  was  universally  established. 
Statues  and  temples  were  erected  to  her  in  every  kingdom  j 
and  the  ancients  delighted  in  paying  homage  to  a divinity 
by  whose  influence  alone  mankind  was  supposed  to  exist. 
She  was  chiefly  worshipped  at  Cythera  and  Cyprus  ; and 
fable  says,  that  it  was  to  the  shores  of  the  latter  island 
that  the  waves  of  the  sea  gently  carried  the  Goddess  of 
Love  as  she  arose  from  its  foam.  On  this  charming  island, 
whole  cities,  together  with  groves,  temples,  and  altars,  were 
consecrated  to  Aphrodite.  Her  favorite  residence,  how* 
ever,  was  Paphos,  where  offerings  and  vows  were  presented 
in  her  temple,  from  every  quarter  of  the  earth.  And  from 
the  veneration  with  which  all  nations  here  rendered  hom- 
age to  the  Goddess  of  Beauty,  she  was  called  queen  of 
Paphos.  From  two  other  places  on  Cyprus,  Amathus  and 
Idalion,  she  received  the  poetical  appellations,  Idalia  and 
Amathusia  * and  from  the  island  itself,  she  had  the  name 
of  Cypria. 

From  the  remotest  countries  pilgrims  came  to  Cnidos, 
there  also  to  pay  homage  to  the  love-inspiring  goddess, 
whom  skilful  art  had  endowed  with  human  form,  and  thus 
rendered  her  visible  to  the  eyes  of  men.  There,  the  image 
of  Aphrodite  stood  in  an  open  temple,  unveiled  to  the  view 
of  mortals.  It  was  the  Aphrodite  of  Praxiteles,  a worthy 
object  of  admiration. 

The  most  ancient  temple  of  Aphrodite  in  Greece,  stood 
on  the  island  of  Cythera  ; and  the  idea  of  the  goddess  her- 
self was  so  intimately  connected  with  the  place  of  her  resi- 
dence, that  both  names  became  one,  and  in  poetical  lan- 
guage, the  Goddess  of  Love  was  called  Cythersea. 

In  the  more  ancient  temples  of  this  goddess  in  Cyprus, 
she  was  represented  under  the  form  of  a rude  conical  stone; 


A.PHRODXTE  OR  VENUS. 


169 


but  the  Grecian  sciflptors  and  painters.  Praxiteles  and 
Apelles,  vied  with  each  other  in  forming  her  image  the  ideal 
of  female  beauty  and  attraction.  She  appears  sometimes 
rising  out  of  the  sea  and  wringing  her  locks  ; sometimes 
drawn  in  a conch  by  Tritons,  or  riding  on  some  marine 
animal ; and  sometimes  drawn  in  a car  by  doves. 

The  birds  sacred  to  Aphrodite  were  swans,  doves,  and 
sparrows.  Horace  places  her  in  a chariot  drawn  by  swans, 
and  Sappho  gives  her  sparrows.  In  one  of  the  odes 
ascribed  to  Anacreon,  a dove  announces  herself  as  a present 
from  the  goddess  to  the  bard.  The  bird  called  lynx  or 
Fritillus,  of  which  so  much  use  was  made  in  amatory 
magic,  was  also  sacred  to  this  goddess  ; as  was  likewise  the 
swallow,  the  herald  of  Spring,  the  season  of  love.  Her 
favorite  plants  were  the  rose  and  the  myrtle. 

The  husband  assigned  to  this  goddess  is  the  lame  artist 
Hephaestos  ; and  she  is  fabled  to  have  loved  Anchises,  the 
father  of  iEneias. 

Adonis,  son  of  Cyniras  and  Myrrlia,  was  famed  for  his 
beauty,  and  became  a favorite  of  Yenus.  The  tender  god- 
dess, not  able  to  live  without  him,  partly  laid  aside  her  soft- 
ness for  his  sake,  following  him  to  the  chase  of  the  deer. 
She  accompanied  him  like  his  faithful  genius,  warning  him 
to  spare  his  precious  life,  whenever  his  daring  spirit  insti- 
gated him  to  pursue  the  tracks  of  fierce  and  dangerous 
beasts.  But,  disregarding  the  entreaties  and  warnings  of 
the  goddess,  he  soon  ran  to  destruction.  Meeting  with 
a fierce  boar,  he  hurled  his  dart  at  him ; but,  not  being 
mortally  wounded,  the  beast  plunged  his  white  tusks  into 
the  side  of  the  handsome  youth.  He  sank,  the  blood  gush- 
ing in  abundance  from  his  wound,  and  when  Aphrodite 
sought  her  beloved  Adonis,  she  found  him  in  the  agony  of 
death. 

In  vain  did  she  endeavor  to  recall  him  to  life,  and  with 

8 


170 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


bitter  complaints  accused  the  cruelty  of  his  fate.  Dis- 
tracted, the  goddess  ran  barefoot  through  the  woods  and 
lawns  ; her  delicate  skin  was  pierced  by  thorns  ; and  her 
blood,  dropping  upon  the  rose,  changed  it  from  white  to 
red.  By  degrees,  her  despair  changed  to  softer  mourning; 
she  sprinkled  with  nectar  the  ground  that  received  the 
blood  of  her  beloved  Adonis,  and  gave  him  a kind  of  im- 
mortality by  raising  from  it  the  flower  Anemone,  which, 
by  its  soon  withering,  expresses  the  brief  period  of  life 
allotted  to  the  beautiful  son  of  Myrrha. 

A festival  in  honor  of  Adonis  was  annually  celebrated  at 
Byblos  by  the  Phoenician  women  during  two  days ; the 
first  of  which  was  spent  in  grief  and  lamentation  at  his 
death,  and  the  second  in  joy  and  triumph  at  the  fabled 
resurrection  of  Adonis  from  the  dead  During  this  festi- 
val the  priests  of  Babylon  shaved  their  heads,  in  imitation 
of  the  priests  of  Isis  in  Egypt. 

In  Greece,  whither  these  rites  were  transplanted,  the 
festival  was  prolonged  to  eight  days.  It  is  uncertain  when 
the  Adoneia  was  first  celebrated  in  that  country  ; but  we 
find  Plato  alluding  to  the  gardens  of  Adonis,  as  pots  and 
boxes  of  flowers  used  in  them  were  called,  and  the  ill-for- 
tune of  the  Athenian  expedition  to  Sicily  was  in  part  as- 
cribed to  the  circumstance  of  the  fleet  having  sailed  during 
that  festival. 

In  Greece  it  was  celebrated  in  the  same  manner  as  in 
Phoenicia.  On  the  first  day  the  citizens  put  themselves  in 
mourning,  and  coffins  were  placed  at  every  door ; the 
statues  of  Yenus  and  Adonis  were  borne  in  procession, 
with  the  gardens  of  Adonis.  At  the  conclusion  of  the 
ceremony,  they  were  thrown  into  the  sea  or  some  river, 
where  they  soon  perished,  and  thus  became  emblems  of  the 
premature  death  of  Adonis,  who,  like  a young  plant,  was 
cut  off  in  the  flower  of  life. 

This  tale  of  Adonis  is  evidently  an  Eastern  myth.  His 


APHRODITE  OR  VENUS. 


171 


own  name  and  those  of  his  parents  refer  to  that  part  of  the 
world.  He  appears  to  be  the  same  with  the  Thammuz 
mentioned  by  the  prophet  Ezekiel  (eh.  viii.,  v.  14), 

Whose  annual  wound  in  Lebanon  allured 
The  Syrian  damsels  to  lament  his  fate, 

While  smooth  Adonis  from  his  native  rock 
Ran  purple  to  the  sea,  supposed  with  blood 
Of  Thammuz  yearly  wounded; 

and  to  be  a Phoenician  personification  of  the  sun,  who,  dur- 
ing a part  of  the  year  is  absent,  with  the  goddess  of  the 
under  world,  and  during  the  remainder  with  Astarte  the 
queen  of  Heaven.  The  legend  says,  that  Aphrodite  com- 
mitted Adonis  to  the  care  of  Persephone,  who  afterwards 
refused  to  part  with  him  ; the  matter  being  referred  to 
Zeus,  he  decreed  that  Adonis  should  have  one-third  of  the 
year  to  himself,  be  another  third  with  Aphrodite,  and  the  # 
remaining  third  with  Persephone. 

Adonis  was  an  oriental  title  of  the  sun  signifying  Lord ; 
and  the  loss  of  this  mighty  lord  was  lamented  in  all  coun- 
tries where  the  Assyrian  and  the  Phoenician  traditions 
were  received;  and  his  return  to  impregnate  the  world 
with  his  genial  vigor,  was  welcomed  with  the  highest 
demonstrations  of  joy.  The  boar  supposed  to  have  killed 
him,  was  the  emblem  of  winter ; during  which,  the  pro- 
ductive powers  of  nature  being  suspended,  Aphrodite,  Who 
went  hand  in  hand  with  spring,  was  said  to  lament  the  loss 
of  Adonis  until  he  was  again  restored  to  life ; hence  the 
Syrian  and  Argive  women  annually  mourned  his  death, 
and  celebrated  his  renovation  to  life.  The  mysteries  of 
Adonis  and  Aphrodite,  at  Byblos  in  Syria,  were  held  in 
similar  estimation  with  those  of  Dem^ter  and  Dionysos  at 
Eleusis,  and  of  Isis  and  Osiris  in  Egypt. 

There  is  none  of  the  Olympians  of  whom  the  foreign 
origin  is  so  probable  as  that  of  Aphrodite.  She  is  generally 


172 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


regarded  as  being  the  same  with  the  Astarte  of  the  Phoeni- 
cians. There  can  be  little  doubt  of  the  identification  of 
Astarte  with  the  Grecian  Aphrodite,  for  the  tale  of  Adonis 
sufficiently  proves  it ; and  that  this  took  place  at  a very 
early  period,  is  evinced  by  Homer’s  so  frequently  giving 
Aphrodite  the  name  of  Cypris.  Still  we  look  on  Aphrodite 
to  be,  as  her  name  seems  to  denote,  an  originally  Grecian 
deity  ; at  first,  probably,  merely  cosmogonic,  but  gradually 
adopted  into  the  system  of  the  Olympians,  and  endowed 
with  some  of  the  attributes  of  Hera  (who  was  also  identified 
with  Astarte),  and  thus  became  the  patroness  of  marriage. 
It  was  probably  on  account  of  her  being  esteemed  the  same 
with  Astarte,  the  moon  goddess  and  queen  of  Heaven,  that 
Aphrodite  was  so  frequently  styled  the  heavenly  (Urania). 
It  is  very  important  to  observe  that  she  was  so  named  at 
her  temple  in  Cythera.  which  was  regarded  as  the  holiest 
and  most  ancient  of  her  fanes  in  Greece.  Her  antique 
wooden  statue  in  this  temple  was  armed ; as  it  was  also  in 
Corinth  and  Sparta.  In  this  last  city,  she  was  styled 
Urania,  and  her  worship  there  was  eminently  Asiatic  in 
character. 


HERMES  OR  MERCURY. 

While  Hera  was  sleeping,  Zeus  went  to  see  Maia,  the 
graceful  daughter  of  Atlas,  in  a shady  cave ; and  to  this 
secret  visit  Hermes  is  said  to  have  owed  his  existence. 
Being  born  in  the  morning,  he  at  noon  played  on  the  lute 
invented  by  himself,  and  in  the  evening  he  stole  Apollo’s 
oxen. 

The  lute  was  invented  by  him  in  the  following  manner. 
Secretly  leaving  his  cradle  at  noon,  on  the  first  day  of  his 
life,  and  stepping  over  the  threshold,  he  met  a tortoise, 
whose  shell  appeared  to  him  a fit  instrument  for  giving 
musical  tones  when  furnished  with  strings:  u Now  thou 
art  dumb/7  said  he,  “ but  after  thy  death*  thy  song  will  bo 


HERMES  OR  MERCURY 


ns 


heard.”  Thus  addressing  the  animal,  he  immediately 
killed  it,  and  furnished  the  shell  with  seven  concordant 
strings,  which  he  touched  with  a small  stick.  As  soon  as 
he  had  tuned  the  newly-invented  instrument  with  skilful 
ear,  he  could  not  forbear  singing  to  it,  and  chanted  forth 
the  praise  of  every  thing  that  met  his  eye,  even  the  tri- 
pods and  vessels  in  his  mother’s  house  ; till  at  last,  his 
song,  passing  into  a higher  strain,  found  a worthier  sub- 
ject, in  the  love  of  Zeus  and  Maia,  his  divine  parents. 

When  evening  came  on,  and  the  sun  had  descended 
into  the  ocean,  Hermes  found  himself  upon  the  Pierian 
mountains,  where  the  herds  of  the  immortal  gods  were 
feeding.  From  these  he  stole  fifty  oxen  belonging  to 
Apollo,  and  devising  many  a crafty  trick  to  avoid  detection* 
as  he  drove  them  onward  through  valleys  and  over  moun- 
tains, he  would  have  escaped  discovery  but  for  an  old  man, 
who,  digging  in  the  field,  saw  the  boy  with  the  oxen,  and 
afterwards  betrayed  him  to  Apollo.  On  the  shores  of  the 
river  Alpheus,  Hermes  killed  two  of  the  stolen  oxen,  mak- 
ing a sacrifice  of  them  to  himself.  Having  done  this,  he 
carefully  extinguished  the  fire,  hid  the  ashes  in  the  ground, 
and  threw  the  remainder  of  the  killed  animals  into  the 
river,  together  with  the  shoes  he  had  made  of  twigs  and 
p,  t upon  the  feet  of  the  oxen,  in  order  to  conceal  their 
tracks,  or  render  them  undiscernible.  All  this  he  per- 
formed by  moonlight.  Before  the  break  of  day  he  gently 
stole  back  into  his  mother’s  dwelling,  and  lay  down  again 
in  his  cradle,  pulling  the  clothes  around  him,  and  holding 
the  lute,  his  dearest  plaything,  in  his  hand. 

Apollo,  angry  at  the  theft  committed  on  his  oxen,  ap- 
peared to  call  Hermes  to  account,  and  to  recover  his  pro- 
perty. The  thief  feigned  a deep  sleep,  having  the  lute 
lying  under  his  arm.  Apollo  threatened  to  precipitate 
him  into  Tartaros,  if  he  would  not  immediately  point  out 
the  place  where  the  oxen  were  hidden.  Then  the  cunning 


174 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


boy,  twinkling  his  eyes,  answered  him,  4i  How  cruelly,  son 
of  Leto,  dost  thou  address  a little  boy  who  was  not  born 
until  yesterday,  and  who  cares  for  things  very  different 
from  driving  oxen ; who  is  longing  for  sweet  slumber  and 
his  mother’s  breast,  and  whose  feet  are  too  tender  and 
feeble  to  tread  long  and  rough  paths.  Nay,  I will  swear 
by  Zeus,  my  father’s  head,  that  neither  I myself  have 
stolen  the  oxen,  nor  do  I know  who  committed  the  deed.” 

Upon  this,  it  was  agreed  between  them,  that  both  should 
appear  before  the  father  of  the  gods  on  Olympos,  that  he 
might  reconcile  their  difference.  Apollo  stated  his  com- 
plaint, while  Hermes  stood  by  in  his  swathing-clothes,  in 
order  to  refute  the  charge  by  the  appearance  of  his  tender 
age.  “ Have  I then  indeed,”  said  he,  u the  appearance  of 
a strong  man,  able  to  drive  away  oxen  7 Certainly,  father, 
thou  shalt  hear  nothing  but  the  truth  from  me.  Whilst 
the  oxen  were  stolen,  I was  lying  in  sweet  slumber,  and 
did  not  pass  the  threshold  of  my  mother’s  dwelling.  Thou 
knowest  thyself,  too,  that  I am  innocent;  yet  I am  ready 
to  protest  my  innocence  with  a solemn  oath,  and  I shall 
one  day  reward  the  cruel  word  of  that  false  one.  But 
thou,  father,  be  the  protector  of  the  younger.”  Thus  spoke 
Hermes,  with  twinkling  eyes,  and  Zeus  smiled  at  the  boy 
because  he  was  prudent  enough  to  deny  so  finely  the  charge 
brought  against  him.  But  at  the  same  time  he  commanded 
him  to  tell  where  the  oxen  were  hidden,  and  when  Hermes 
obeyed  the  injunction,  accompanying  Apollo  to  the  hiding- 
place,  a reconciliation  took  place  between  them,  of  which 
the  invented  lute  was  the  pledge. 

For  when  the  sweet  sound  of  the  instrument  had  touched 
the  ear  of  the  god  of  harmony,  he  was  enraptured ; and 
caressing  the  inventor,  “ Truly,”  said  he,  u this  invention 
is  worth  fifty  oxen.”  Upon  this,  Hermes  made  him  a 
present  of  the  lute,  and  Apollo  became  transported  with 
joy,  at  the  thought  of  possessing  so  inestimable  a treasure 


HERMES  OR  MERCURY. 


175 


In  order,  however,  to  secure  it  to  himself,  he  requested 
Hermes  to  swear  by  the  Styx  never  to  steal  the  sweetly- 
sounding  lute  from  its  present  possessor.  In  return  for 
his  lute,  Apollo  gave  him  the  golden  wand,  which  had  the 
power  of  settling  all  differences  ; and  these  two,  now  closely 
united,  ascended  hand  in  hand  to  Olympos.  It  was  art 
that  wove  the  band  that  united  them,  and  Zeus  rejoiced 
in  the  concord 

Hermes  became  afterwards  the  messenger  of  the  immor- 
tals He  is  the  swift,  the  rapidly  moving  power  among 
the  celestials,  who,  as  if  firmly  established  in  their  own 
majesty,  send  the  fleet,  inventive  idea  from  heaven  to 
earth,  re-admitting  it  into  their  divine  council  as  soon 
as  its  task  is  accomplished. 

His  archetype  is  speech.  Speech,  the  tender  breath  of 
air,  must,  as  it  were,  steal  into  the  effective  connection  of 
things,  in  order  to  make  up  by  thought  and  prudence  for 
the  deficiency  of  power  and  strength.  The  word  of  speech 
is  winged,  because  it  is  only  to  be  heard  when  accompa- 
nied by  the  swift  breath  of  the  lungs,  and  flies  like  a bird 
let  loose,  that  cannot  be  recalled.  For  this  reason,  the 
beautiful  expression  of  the  ancients,  u The  word  wants  its 
wings.” 

According  to  a poetical  representation,  a golden  chain 
hangs  down  from,  his  mouth,  reaching  from  Olympos  to  the 
listening  ears  of  the  dwellers  on  the  earth,  who,  in  this 
manner,  are  persuaded  by  the  irresistible  charms  of  the 
sweet  melody  that  flows  from  his  lips. 

Irresistible  also  is  his  art  to  settle  differences,  to  recon- 
cile enemies — in  short,  to  dissolve  all  dissonant  objects  in 
harmonious  union.  Once,  in  his  boyhood,  he  found  two 
serpents  in  his  way  engaged  in  furious  strife ; he  struck 
between  them  with  his  golden  wand,  and  behold ! the  rep- 
tiles instantly  forget  their  fury,  and  twine  themselves  in 
gentlo  coil  roun  I the  wand,  at  the  top  of  which  their  heads 


176 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


meet  in  eternal  concord.  There  is  no  emblem  to  be  found 
more  expressive  of  reconciliation  and  peace,  as  well  as 
harmonious  connection  of  what  is  opposed  and  contending, 
than  this  wand  surrounded  with  coiling  serpents,  which, 
in  the  hand  of  the  divine  herald,  thenceforward  constituted 
a token  of  his  authority. 

Nothing  is  more  charming  and  attractive  in  the  fictions 
of  the  ancients,  than  their  description  of  the  rapid  de- 
velopment of  divine  power  in  these  supernatural  beings 
— a power,  which,  as  if  having  existed  long  ago,  and 
being  only  new  born  in  a particular  form,  does  not  suffer 
itself  to  be  long  restrained  by  swathing-clothes  and  cradle. 

In  this  light,  airy  representation,  the  imagination  of  the 
ancients  embodied  the  ideas  of  quick,  inventive  faculty, 
and  cunning  activity,  which  displayed  itself  alike  in  decep- 
tive persuasion,  and  easily  accomplished  sportive  theft,  at 
which  even  the  pilfered  himself,  hearing  the  adventurous 
roguishness,  was  forced  to  smile.  Jocularity  and  cunning 
being  here  clothed  with  divinity  and  immortality,  present 
a new  figure  in  the  great  picture  of  the  divine  assembly  ; 
fitter,  upon  the  whole,  to  charm  our  eyes  by  its  variety  of 
composition  and  splendid  colors,  than  to  improve  our  hearts 
by  its  moral  exhibitions. 

In  the  human  breast,  the  voice  of  an  invisible,  super- 
natural power  speaks  intelligibly,  bidding  man  lift  up  his 
eyes  from  the  earth  to  a higher  vTorld.  The  ancients,  too, 
heard  this  voice  ; but  misapprehending  it,  they  formed  to 
themselves  a supernatural  world,  after  the  pattern  which 
nature  and  human  life  presented  to  them.  Therefore, 
nothing  appeared  to  them  mean  or  unholy,  that  rose  from 
the  general,  uncreating  influence  of  nature,  and  contained, 
although  noxious  in  itself,  the  germ  of  beauty  or  utility. 

Fancy  assigns  to  her  divine  beings  no  bounds  with  regard 
to  actions ; on  the  contrary,  she  gives  to  the  inward  im- 
pulse the  fullest  scope ; suffering  them  to  stray  even  to  the 


JJERMES  OR  MERCURY. 


177 


extreme  limits  of  mischief,  because  in  her  fictions  the  great 
contrasts,  together  with  the  huge  masses  of  light  and  shade, 
which  otherwise  we  perceive  merely  as  scattered  and  sin- 
gle, are  concentrated  in  a small  compass,  and  because  every 
one  of  her  beings  comprises,  as  it  were,  in  its  own  person, 
the  substance  of  all  things  considered  from  some  sublime 
point  of  view. 

In  this  respect,  the  fiction  of  Hermes  is  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  and  comprehensive.  He  is  the  swift  herald  of 
the  immortals ; the  god  of  speech  ; the  tutelary  genius  of 
the  roads  ; in  him  the  winged  word  is  renewed  when  repeat- 
ed from  his  lips,  in  delivering  the  commands  of  the  gods ; 
with  his  golden  wand  he  leads  the  dead  to  the  world  of 
shadows  ; he  is  likewise  the  author  of  all  prudent  and 
cunning  designs,  plots,  and  artifices  ; the  patron  of  thieves, 
the  teacher  of  men  in  the  art  of  wrestling,  or  of  conquering 
strength  by  agility,  and  the  president  over  trade  and  gain. 

As  messenger  of  Zeus,  he  was  intrusted  with  all  his  se- 
crets ; and  as  the  ambassador  and  plenipotentiary  of  the 
Gods,  was  concerned  in  all  alliances  and  treaties.  In  the 
wars  of  the  giants,  he  showed  himself  brave,  spirited,  and 
active.  He  delivered  Ares  from  his  long  confinement 
which  he  suffered  from  the  superior  powers  of  the  Aloeids  ; 
he  purified  the  Danaides  from  the  murder  of  their  hus- 
bands ; he  tied  Ixion  to  his  wheel  in  the  infernal  regions ; 
he  destroyed  the  hundred-eyed  Argos ; he  sold  Heracles 
to  Omphale,  queen  of  Lydia;  he  conducted  Priamos  to 
the  tent  of  Achilleus  to  redeem  the  body  of  his  son  Hector  ; 
and  he  carried  the  infant  Dionysos  to  the  nymphs  of  Nysa. 
He  gave  many  proofs  of  his  thievish  propensity,  and  in- 
creased his  fame  by  robbing  Poseidon  of  his  trident, 
Aphrodite  of  her  girdle,  Ares  of  his  sword,  Zeus  of  his 
sceptre,  and  Hephaestos  of  his  mechanical  instruments. 

Mythologists  are  pretty  well  agreed  in  recognizing  a 
telluric  pewer  in  the  Hermes  of  the  Pelasgian  system  Tho 

8* 


178 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


simplest  derivation  of  his  name  is  from  a Greek  word,  sig- 
nifying earth , and  by  the  name  of  liis-  mother,  Maia,  is 
probably  meant  Mother  Earth. 

He  seems  to  have  been  the  deity  of  productiveness  in 
general ; but  he  came  gradually  to  be  regarded  as  presid- 
ing more  particularly  over  flocks  and  herds.  From  this 
last  view  some  of  his  Hellenic  attributes  may  be  simply 
deduced.  Thus  the  god  of  shepherds  was  naturally  re- 
garded as  the  inventor  of  music  ; the  lyre  is  ascribed  to 
Hermes,  as  the  pipes  are  to  Pan,  music  having  always  been 
a recreation  of  shepherds  in  the  warm  regions  of  the 
south.  In  like  manner,  as  the  shepherd  lads  amuse  them- 
selves with  wrestling  and  other  feats  of  strength  and 
activity,  their  tutelar  god  easily  became  the  president  of 
the  'palcestra.  So  also  trade,  having  consisted  chiefly  in 
the  exchange  of  cattle,  Hermes,  the  herdsman’s  god,  was 
held  to  be  the  god  of  commerce  ; and  the  skill  and  elo- 
quence employed  in  commercial  dealings,  made  him  to  be 
the  god  of  eloquence,  artifice,  and  ingenuity,  and  even  of 
cheating.  As  herdsmen  are  the  best  guides  in  the  coun- 
try, it  may  be  thence  that  Hermes  was  thought  to  protect 
wayfarers,  and  thence  to  be  a protector  in  general.  For 
this  cause  it  may  have  been,  that  god-sen ds  or  treasure- 
trove  were  ascribed  to  him. 

The  rural  deity,  when  thus  become  active,  sly  and  elo- 
quent, was  well  adapted  for  the  office  which  was  assigned 
him  of  agent  and  messenger  of  the  gods,  to  whom  we  also 
find  him  officiating  as  cup-bearer.  As  a being  whose  ope- 
rations extended  into  the  interior  of  the  earth,  Hermes 
would  seem  to  have  been  in  some  points  of  view  identified 
with  Hades.  In  Pindar,  this  latter  deity  himself  perforins 
the  office  generally  assigned  to  Hermes,  that  of  conduct- 
ing the  departed  to  Erebos.  Possibly  it  may  have  been 
on  this  account,  that  Solon  directed  the  Athenians  to 
swear  by  Zeus,  Poseidon,  and  Hermes.  * 


HERMES  OR  MERCURY. 


179 


The  Grecian  spirit  completely  modified  the  Egyptian 
Hermes,  to  produce  the  Hermes  or  Mercury  of  the  Grecian 
mythology ; where  he  is  quite  a different  being.  In 
Egypt  he  presides  over  the  sciences,  writing,  medicine, 
and  astronomy,  and  composes  many  divine  works,  contain- 
ing the  elements  of  these  several  departments  of  knowledge; 
in  Greece  he  is  the  god  of  shepherds  and  merchandise. 
The  interpreter  of  the  gods  in  Egypt,  he  becomes  in 
Greece  only  their  messenger  ; and  it  is  by  virtue  of  this 
latter  tkle  that 
he  preserves  his 
wings, which  were 
among  the  E- 
gyptians  merely 
an  astronomical 
symbol. 

The  god  is  usu- 
ally represented 
with  a chlamys , 
his  petasus  or 
winged  cap,  and 
his  talaria  or 
winged  sandals, 
and  the  caduceus 
or  wand  present- 
ed to  him  by 
Apollo, which  had 
the  power  of  settling  all  differences,  of  putting  any  one  to 
sleep,  and  of  waking  them  again,  and  also  of  bringing  souls 
out  of  Hell.  The  petasus  and  talaria  were  gifts  from  Zeus. 

The  ancient  statues  of  Hermes  were  merely  wooden  posts 
with  a rude  head  and  pointed  beard  carved  on  them.  They 
were  what  is  termed  ithyphallic,  and  were  set  up  on  the 
roads  and  foot-paths,  also  in  the  fields  and  gardens.  From 
this  representation  he  became  with  the  Romans  the  god 


180 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


Terminus  ; but  when  they  were  made  acquainted  with  the 
twelve  great  deities  of  the  Athenians,  they  adopted  the 
Grecian  Hermes  under  the  name  of  Mercurius.  In* honor 
of  this  deity,  the  Homans  celebrated  an  annual  festival  in 
a temple  near  the  Circus  Maximus,  when  sacrifices  and 
prayers  were  offered  to  him. 

An  ancient  gem  exhibits  the  following  accurate  repre- 
sentation of  Mercury  : As  god  of  the  roads,  he  stands  be- 
fore an  altar,  over  which  rises  an  antique  milestone,  which 
he  touches  with  his  wand.  Upon  the  altar  lies  a staff,  as  an 
intimation  of  travellers  dedicating  their  walking  staves  to 
Mercury,  after  having  accomplished  a journey.  As  a sign 
of  the  safety  of  the  roads,  an  olive  branch  is  entwined 
around  the  stone.  The  god  bears  on  his  head  the  winged 
cap ; as  he  is  standing,  the  winged  sandals  are  not  fas- 
tened to  his  feet. 


The  Council  of  Jupiter,  the  supreme  divinity,  was  com- 
posed of  six  gods,  namely,  Jupiter,  Neptune,  Mercury, 
Apollo,  Mars,  and  Vulcan;  and  six  goddesses:  Juno, 
Ceres,  Vesta,  Minerva,  Diana,  and  Venus.  To  this  assem- 
bly no  other  deities  were  admitted. 

As  soon  as  fiction  descends  from  Heaven  to  Earth, 
divine  beings  become  more  numerous.  Imagination  dis- 
covers life  in  fountains,  groves,  and  hills  ; — and  according 
to  her  pleasure,  ascribes  to  this  life  corporeal  form.  In 
this  manner  all  nature  becomes  sacred  : deity  fills  the 
whole,  and  the  whole  is  deity,  revealed  only  in  various 
forms.  The  ancients  not  only  deified  the  virtues,  but  dis- 
tempers, storms,  and  passions,  and  worshipped  them  that 
they  might  be  saved  from  all  harm. 

This  practice  of  personifying  natural  and  moral  quali- 
ties, seems  to  have  been  coeval  with  Grecian  poetry  and 
religion.  It  was  not,  however,  by  any  means  peculiar  t< 
Greece  ; it  will  probably  be  found  wherever  poetry  exist? 


THE  COUNCIL  OF  JUPITER. 


181 


But  it  was  only  in  ancient  Greece  and  Italy,  that  these 
personifications  were  made  objects  of  worship,  and  re- 
garded as  having  a real  and  personal  existence. 

The  Genii  or  Daemons  were  not  considered  as  equal  to 
the  gods,  but  as  superior  to  mortals.  The  four  natures, 
Gods,  Genii,  Heroes  and  Men,  were  first  distinguished  by 
Hesiod. 


PART  THIRD. 


GENII  AND  INFERIOR  DEITIES. 


According  to  the  ideas  of  the  ancients,  man  was  inti- 
mately connected  with  the  Deity  by  means  of  the  genii  or 
tutelary  beings.  The  highest  divinity  is  multiplied,  as  it 
were,  in  those  beings,  who,  like  guardian  angels,  lead  by 
the  hand  every  individual  mortal  through  life,  from  the 
hour  of  his  birth  to  that  of  his  death.  In  this  sense  it 
was,  that  man  swore  by  his  Jupiter,  and  woman  by  her 
Juno,  speaking  of  their  own  genius,  or  tutelary  deity. 

On  their  birthdays,  the  ancients  presented  offerings  of 
wine,  incense,  and  garlands  of  flowers,  to  their  respective 
genii,  who  were  represented  in  the  form  of  handsome 
youths,  having  their  heads  crowned  with  flowers.  Thus 
man,  following  the  dictates  of  his  heart,  venerated  some- 
thing higher  and  more  divine  than  he  could  find  in  his 
own  limited  individuality,  and  brought  to  “ this  great  un- 
known of  himself”  offerings  as  a god;  thus  compensating 
by  veneration  for  the  indistinct  knowledge  of  his  divine 
origin. 

It  was  customary  among  the  Romans  to  implore  per- 
sons by  their  genius,  as  the  orientals  do  by  their  souls  ; 
and  in  Latin  writers  it  is  not  always  easy  to  distinguish  a 
man’s  genius  from  himself.  The  distinct  worship  of  the 


184 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


Genii  continued  down  to  the  demise  of  paganism,  for  we 
find  it  noticed  in  the  Theodosian  code. 

The  worship  of  the  Genius  was  a remarkable  part  of  the 
religion  of  the  Romans  ; they  having  derived  it  from  the 
Tuscans,  in  whose  system  it  formed  a prominent  feature. 
The  word  Genius  is  evidently  a Latin  translation  of  a Tus- 
can term,  signifying  Generator , and  the  Genius  was  there- 
fore viewed  as  a deity  who  had  the  power  of  producing. 
In  the  Tuscan  system  he  was  the  son  of  the  gods,  and  the 
parent  of  men  ; according  to  the  ancient  Italian  doctrine, 
all  souls  proceeded  from  Jupiter,  and  returned  to  him  after 
death  ; therefore  the  Genius  J ovialis  was  viewed  as  the 
great  agent  in  giving  life,  and  uniting  the  soul  to  the  body. 

When  Ceres  and  Pallas  bless  the  growth  and  animals 
of  the  fields,  and  thereby  the  house,  so  cares  the  Genius 
Jovialis  for  the  continuance  and  bloom  of  the  family  itself. 
Through  him  is  Jupiter  an  eternal,  inexhaustible  giver  of 
life  to  the  changing  generation  of  man. 

The  Genii  of  the  Romans  are  frequently  confounded  with 
the  Manes,  Lares  and  Penates  ; and  they  have  indeed  one 
great  feature  in  common,  viz.,  that  of  protecting  mortals. 
There  is,  however,  this  essential  difference ; the  genii  are 
the  powers  that  produce  life,  and  accompany  man  through 
it  as  his  second  or  spiritual  self,  and  the  other  powers 
have  no  influence  till  life,  the  work  of  the  genii,  has  com- 
menced. Neither  were  they  confined  to  man,  but  every 
living  thing,  animal  as  well  as  man,  and  also  every  place, 
had  its  genius,  or  protecting  spirit. 

Horace,  in  speaking  of  the  Genius,  calls  him  “ change- 
able of  countenance,  white  and  black  and  in  the  well- 
known  appearance  of  his  evil  genius  to  Brutus,  the  spirit 
was  black,  which  would  seem  to  intimate  that  a man  had 
two  Genii,  a good  and  an  evil  one.  x 

This  does  not  appear  to  have  been  the  Italian  belief, 
though  perhaps  such  a notion  prevailed  in  Greece ; for  the 


GENII  AND  INFERIOR  DEITIES. 


185 


philosopher  Empedocles  said,  that  two  Moiree  receive  us 
at  our  birth,  and  obtain  authority  over  us. 

The  whole  body  of  the  Roman  people  also  had  its  genius, 
who  is  often  represented  on  the  coins  of  Hadrian  and  Tra- 
jan. He  was  worshipped  on  sad,  as  well  as  on^joyous  occa- 
sions, as  for  instance  at  the  beginning  of  the  second  year 
of  the  Hannibalian  war. 

When  a local  genius  made  himself  visible,  he  appeared 
in  the  form  of  a serpent,  that  is,  the  symbol  of  renova- 
tion, or  of  new  life.  In  works  of  art,  the  genii  are  usually 
represented  as  winged  beings  ; and  on  Roman  monuments, 
a genius  generally  appears  as  a youth  dressed  in  a toga, 
with  a patera  or  cornucopia  in  his  hand,  and  having  his 
head  covered.  The  genius  of  a place  is  represented  in  the 
form  of  a serpent  eating  fruit  placed  before  him. 

The  Greeks  called  their  genii,  daemons,  and  appear  to 
have  believed  in  them  from  the  earliest  times,  though  they 
are  not  mentioned  by  Homer.  Hesiod  speaks  of  them  as 
being  thirty  thousand  in  number,  and  says  that  they  dwelt 
on  earth,  invisible  to  mortals,  as  the  ministers  of  Zeus  and 
the  guardians  of  man  and  justice.  He  also  considers 
them  as  the  souls  of  righteous  men  who  lived  in  the  golden 
age.  Upon  this  idea  the  Greek  philosophers  developed  a 
complete  theory  of  daemons.  Thus  we  read  in  Plato,  that 
daemons  are  assigned  to  men  at  the  moment  of  their  birth, 
accompany  them  through  life,  and  after  death,  conduct 
their  souls  to  Hades. * Pindar  also  speaks  of  the  spirit 
that  watches  over  the  fate  of  man  from  tho  hour  of  his 
birth,  which  appears  to  be  the  same  as  the  genius  of  the 
Romans — the  protecting  spirit,  analogous  to  the  guardian 
angels  invoked  by  the  church  of  Rome. 


* Hades  anciently  signified  the  grave,  or  place  of  the  dead  in  general. 
All  therefore  that  die,  must  go  to  Hades. 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


186 


Daemons  are  further  described  as  the  ministers  and  com 
panions  of  the  gods,  who  bear  the  prayers  of  men  to  them, 
and  the  gifts  of  the  gods  to  men.  and  accordingly  float  in 
immense  numbers  in  the  space  between  heaven  and  earth. 
Daemons  who  were  exclusively  the  ministers  of  the  gods, 
seem  to  have  constituted  a distinct  class.  The  Corybantes, 
Dactyls,  and  Cabeiri,  are  called  the  ministering  daemons 
of  the  great  gods;  Gigon,  Tychon,  and  Ortharges,  are  the 
daemons  of  Aphrodite ; and  Hadreus  the  daemon  of  Deme- 
ter. 


The  Penates,  or  guardians  of  private  families,  who  are 
also  derived  from  the  Etruscans,  appear  to  have  formed  an 
especial  class  of  deities  among  the  Romans.  The  dii  peua- 
tes  are  those  who  are  worshipped  in  the  interior  of  the 
house.  They  were  gods  from  whom  blessings,  cherishing, 
and  prosperity  were  expected,  as  the  name  declares. 
There  is  no  reason  to  suppose  that  the  Penates  were  a 
class  of  gods  distinctly  divided  from  the  others  ; but  dif- 
ferent gods  and  daemons  of  different  orders  are  honored  in 
different  houses.  Therefore  the  great  uncertainty  and 
variety  in  the  assertions  of  the  ancients  as  to  who  the  Pe- 
nates were. 

According  to  the  Etruscans,  they  were  divided  into 
four  classes  : Penates  of  Jupiter,  Penates  of  Neptune,  those 
of  the  nether  gods,  and  those  of  mortal  men.  They  con- 
sidered the  daemons  who  add  to  the  possessions  of  families, 
as  in  part  the  souls  of  the  dead,  in  part  beings  of  the  earth 
and  lower  world,  of  the  water  and  the  heavens ; the  fourth 
class  comprised  the  Genii. 

Among  the  various  deities  called  Lares,  are  human 
souls,  as  among  the  Penates.  Certain  rites  are  described 
by  which  human  souls  are  changed  to  gods  called  animals, 
because  they  arise  from  souls.  These  are  renates  and 
way-gods.  These  rites  are  the  same  as  those  consecrated 


PENATES. 


18? 


to  the  deities  of  the  nether  world,  which  were  princi- 
pally Etruscan  ; only  the  name,  and  perhaps  certain  usa- 
ges, were  borrowed  from  Greece,  by  which  souls  were  re' 
deemed  and  conjured  out  of  the  lower  world,  and  thereby 
became  gods.  This  is  the  doctrine  of  the  genii.  A 
genius  is  present  at  birth  ; — his  power  operates  in  the  life 
of  the  mortal  whom  the  gods  favor,  and  also  after  death ; 
und  of  the  dead  he  becomes  again  the  genius.  Yet,  these 
elevated  and  deified  souls  do  not  become  gods  of  every 
sort,  but  first  Penates.  The  old  Latins  called  the  soul 
of  man,  as  soon  as  it  had  left  the  body,  Lemur ; and  a 
Lemur,  who  retained  an  interest  in  posterity,  and  ruled 
the  house  with  mild  and  peaceful  disposition,  Lar  Famili- 
aris.  Those  who,  for  a punishment,  wandered  about  as 
powerless  forms,  empty  bugbears  to  the  good,  and  the  tor- 
ment of  the  bad,  were  Larva.  But  when  the  destiny  of  the 
man  is  uncertain,  the  term  Manes  dii  is  employed,  and  to 
the  Manes  was  assigned  a subterranean  place  of  abode. 
There  can  be  little  doubt  that  Jupiter  and  Juno  were  wor- 
shipped as  Penates.  Yesta,  also,  is  reckoned  among  them  ; 
fur  each  hearth,  being  the  symbol  of  domestic  union,  had 
its  Yesta.  The  public  Penates  of  the  city  of  Rome  had  a 
chapel  near  the  centre  of  the  city,  in  a place  called  Sub 
Vclia ; the  private  had  their  place  at  the  domestic  hearth, 
which,  as  well  as  the  table,  was  sacred  to  them.  Every 
meal  taken  in  the  house  resembled  a sacrifice  to  the 
Penates. 

After  every  absence  from  the  hearth,  the  Penates  were 
saluted  like  the  living  inhabitants  of  the  house.  Whoever 
went  abroad,  prayed  to  the  Penates  and  Lares  for  a happy 
return  ; and  when  he  came  back,  he  hung  up  his  armor  and 
staff  by  the  side  of  their  images.  No  event,  whether  sad 
or  joyful,  occurred  in  the  family,  without  offering  prayers 
to  the  Lares  and  Penates 


188 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


The  Lares  or  domestic  dei- 
ties, were  generally  two  m 
number,  who  had  their  abodes 
on  the  domestic  hearth.  They 
were  represented  as  youths 
with  hats  on  their  heads,  trav- 
elling staves  in  their  hands, 
and  dogs  at  their  sides.  Lamps, 
the  symbol  of  vigilance,  were 
consecrated  to  them ; they  were 
crowned  with  flowerets,  and  re- 
ceived offerings  of  food,  which 
was  prepared  upon  the  hearth. 

Again,  they  are  dressed  in 
short  habits,  to  show  their 
readiness  to  serve,  and  hold  a 
kind  of  cornucopia  as  a signal 
of  hospitality  and  good  house- 
keeping. Being  witness  of 
domestic  happiness  or  misfor- 
tune, they  hallowed  the  every- 
day occurrences  of  life  by  their 
presence,  rendering  every 
house,  as  it  were,  a sacred 
temple. 

There  are  various  classes  of  Lares,  such  as  Lares  Urba 
ni , to  preside  over  the  cities;  Familiares , over  houses; 
Ruslici , over  the  country ; Marini , over  the  sea ; Viales , 
over  the  roads,  etc. 

If  we  regard  the  nature  of  Lares  and  Penates,  wo 
shall  readily  perceive  why  the  former  have  a higher  rank 
assigned  them  in  the  hierarchy  of  the  genii  than  the  latter. 
The  Penates  were  originally  gods  — the  powers  of  nature 
personified — powers  whose  wonderful  and  mysterious  ac- 
tion produces  and  upholds  whatever  is  necessary  to  life, 


LARES. 


189 


as  well  as  to  the  common  good  and  prosperity  of  families 
and  individuals ; in  fine,  whatever  the  human  species  can- 
not bestow  upon  itself. 

The  case  is  quite  different  with  the  Lares  ; they  were 
originally  human  beings,  who  had  lived  upon  earth,  and 
who,  becoming  pure  spirits  after  death,  loved  still  to  hover 
round  the  dwellings  they  had  formerly  inhabited,  watching 
over  their  safety,  and  guarding  them  from  evil.  Having 
lived  as  mortals,  they  were  familiar  with  the  dangers  that 
surround  man,  and  knew  what  assistance  was  required  by 
those  whose  situation  in  every  respect  was  once  their  own. 
They  were  therefore  supposed  to  avert  danger  from  with- 
out, while  the  Penates,  residing  in  the  interior  of  the 
dwelling,  pour  forth  benefits  upon  its  inmates  with  boun- 
tiful hands. 

The  place  in  which  the  Lares  were  worshipped  was 
called  the  Larariutn — a sort  of  domestic  chapel  in  the 
Atrium,  where  were  also  to  be  seen  the  images  and  busts 
of  the  family  ancestors.  In  the  sacrifices  offered  to  them, 
the  first-fruits  of  every  year,  with  wine  and  incense,  were 
brought  to  their  altars  ; and  their  images  were  adorned 
with  chaplets  and  garlands.  The  rich  had  often  two  Lara- 
ria,  one  large  and  one  small ; and  also  u Masters  of  the 
Lares”  and  u Decurios  of  the  Lares namely,  slaves  spe- 
cially  charged  with  the  care  of  these  domestic  chapels 
and  images  of  their  divinities.  The  common  altar,  on 
which  sacrifices  were  offered  to  the  Lares,  was  the  domes 
tic  hearth  ; and  in  all  family  repasts,  the  first  thing  done 
was  to  cast  a portion  of  the  viands  into  the  fire  that  burn- 
ed on  the  hearth  in  honor  of  the  Lares. 

Certain  public  festivals  were  also  celebrated  in  honor 
of  the  Lares,  called  Lararia  and  Compitalia.  The  period 
for  their  celebration  fell  in  the  month  of  December,  a lit- 
tle after  the  Saturnalia.  On  this  occasion  the  Lares  were 
worshipped  as  propitious  deities  ; therefore  these  festivi- 


190 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


ties  were  gay  and  joyful.  The  Cornpitalia,  dedicated  to 
the  Lares  Comfit  ales,  were  celebrated  in  the  open  air  : the 
day  of  their  celebration  was  not  fixed.  They  were  intro- 
duced at  Rome  by  Servius  Tullius,  who  left  to  the  Senate 
the  care  of  determining  the  period  when  they  should  be 
held. 

In  early  times,  children  were  immolated  to  the  goddess 
Mania,  who,  according  to  some,  was  the  mother  of  the  Lares, 
in  order  to  propitiate  her  favor  for  the  protection  of  the 
family.  This  barbarous  rite  was  subsequently  abolished, 
and  little  balls  of  wool  were  hung  up  at  the  j^ates  of  dwell- 
ings, instead  of  human  offerings.  After  the  expulsion 
of  the  Tarquins,  Junius  Brutus  introduced  a new  form  of 
sacrifice,  by  virtue  of  which,  heads  of  garlics  and  poppies 
were  offered  up  in  place  of  human  heads,  in  accordance 
with  the  oracle  of  Apollo.  During  these  festivals,  every 
family  brought  a cake  for  an  offering  ; slaves  enjoyed  a 
perfect  equality  with  their  masters,  as  on  the  Saturnalia  ; 
and  slaves,  instead  of  freemen,  assisted  the  priests  in  the 
sacrifices  offered  on  this  occasion  to  the  tutelary  genii  of 
the  ways. 

In  case  of  death  in  a family,  a sacrifice  of  sheep  was 
offered  to  the  family  Lares.  In  the  form  of  marriage, 
called  coemtio,  the  bride  always  threw  a piece  of  money 
upon  the  hearth  to  the  Lares  of  her  family,  and  deposited 
another  in  the  neighboring  cross-road,  in  order  to  obtain 
admission,  as  it  were,  into  the  dwelling  of  her  husband. 
Young  persons,  after  their  fifteenth  year,  consecrated  to 
the  Lares  the  bulla * which  they  had  worn  from  infancy. 

* The  bulla  was  made  of  metal,  and  so  called  from  its  resemblance  in 
form  to  a bubble  floating  upon  the  water.  It  was  suspended  round  the 
neck  of  a child  as  a token  of  paternal  affection,  and  a sign  of  high  birth  ; 
fis  it  was  given  to  infants,  it  sometimes  served  to  recognize  a lost  child. 
Probably  it  contained  amulets. 

Instead  of  the  bulla  of  gold,  the  children  of  inferior  rank  wore  one 
made  of  leather. 


NYMPH  .E  OR  NYMPHS. 


191 


Soldiers,  when  their  time  of  service  was  ended,  dedicated 
to  these  powerful  genii  the  arms  with  which  they  had 
fought  the  battles  of  their  country.  Captives  and  slaves, 
restored  to  freedom,  consecrated  to  the  Lares  the  fetters 
from  which  they  had  just  been  freed.  Before  undertaking 
a journey,  or  after  a successful  return,  homage  was  paid  to 
these  deities,  when  their  protection  was  implored,  or  thanks 
were  rendered  for  their  guardian  care.  The  new  master 
of  a house  crowned  the  Lares,  in  order  to  render  them  pro- 
pitious ; a custom  which  was  most  universal,  and  perpetu 
ated  to  the  latest  times. 

As  regards  the  forms  under  which  the  Lares  were  repre- 
sented, it  may  be  observed  that  it  differed  slightly  from 
that  of  the  Penates.  Thus,  on  the  coins  of  the  Csesian 
family,  they  are  represented  as  two  young  men,  seated, 
their  heads  covered  with  helmets,  and  holding  spears  in 
their  hands,  while  a dog  watches  at  their  feet.  Some- 
times the  heads  of  the  Lares  are  represented  as  covered 
with  the  skin  of  a dog,  and  sometimes  it  forms  their  man- 
tle. At  other  times,  we  find  the  Lares  resembling  naked 
children,  with  the  bulla  hanging  from  the  neck,  and  always 
accompanied  by  the  attribute  of  the  dog. 

NYMPHiE  OR  NYMPHS. 

The  imagination  of  the  ancients,  fond  of  connecting 
something  divine  with  objects  that  are  strong  and  lasting, 
and  that  outlive  the  generations  of  men,  as  the  firmly- 
rooted  mountain,  the  overflowing  spring,  and  the  solid  oak, 
attributed  to  hills  and  fountains,  to  forests,  and  even  to 
single  trees,  immortal  souls ; for  in  this  light  may  those 
beings  be  considered,  who,  under  the  name  of  Nymphs, 
were  thought  to  animate  them. 

The  Oread  roams  on  the  mountains,  pursuing  with  her 
sisters,  in  the  retinue  of  Diana,  the  track  of  the  deer  ; and, 


192 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


like  the  unyielding  deity  whom  she  follows,  closes  her  heart 
to  every  tender  affection. 

At  the  lonely  hour  of  noon,  the  Naiad  sat  with  her  water 
pitcher  at  her  spring,  sending  forth  from  it  the  warbling 
brooks.  Although  less  cruel  than  their  mountain-sisters, 
the  caresses  of  the  Naiades  proved  dangerous.  They 
embraced  handsome  Hylas,  the  favorite  of  Hercules,  when 
he  was  sent  for  water,  and  drew  him  down  into  the  fountain. 

The  sacred  gloom  of  the  forest  was  the  abode  of  the 
Dryades,  while  the  Hamadryad  lived  within  her  own  single 
tree,  with  which  she  was  born,  and  with  which  she  died. 
Whoever  therefore  spared  a tree  laid  the  Nymph  who 
dwelt  in  it  under  an  obligation  for  life. 

In  this  manner  inanimate  nature  itself  became  to  man 
an  object  of  sympathetic  benevolence. 

The  Auras,  or  Sylphs,  Nymphs  of  the  air,  a species  of 
sportive,  happy  beings,  and  well-wishers  to  mankind,  were 
winged  and  represented  as  flying. 

SILENOS. 

According  to  the  Homerid,  Hermes  and  the  Silens  min- 
gle in  love  with  the  Nymphs  in  pleasing  caverns,  and 
Pindar  calls  Silenos  the  Naiad’s  husband.  Socrates,  on 
account  of  his  wisdom,  his  baldness,  and  his  flat  nose,  com- 
pared himself  to  the  Silens  born  of  the  divine  Naiades. 
Others  said  that  Silenos  was  a son  of  Earth,  and  sprung 
from  the  blood-drops  of  Uranos  . Marsyas  is  also  called  a 
Silen. 

Like  the  sea  gods,  Silenos  was  noted  for  wisdom  ; and 
it  would  therefore  appear  that  a Silen  was  simply  a river- 
god  ; and  the  name  probably  comes  from  the  Greek  verb, 
signifying  to  roll , expressive  of  the  motion  of  the  streams. 
The  connection  between  Silenos,  Bacchos,  and  the  Naiades, 
thus  becomes  easy  of  explanation,  all  being  deities  relating 
to  moisture. 


SATYRS. 


193 


Silenos  was  represented  as  old, 
bald,  and  flat  nosed,  riding  on  a 
broad-backed  ass,  usually  intoxi- 
cated, and  carrying  his  can  ( can - 
tharus ),  or  tottering  along,  sup- 
ported by  his  staff  of  fennel 
(ferula). 

PRIAPOS. 

Priapos,  the  emblem  of  fecun- 
dity, and  fabled  to  have  been  the 
son  of  Bacchos  and  Aphrodite,  was  introduced  late  into  the 
Grecian  mythology.  He  was  a rural  deity,  worshipped  by 
the  people  of  Lampsacus,  a city  on  the  Hellespont  famous 
for  its  vineyards. 

Priapos  was  not — as  is  supposed  from,  the  employment 
usually  assigned  him  by  the  Romans  after  they  adopted 
his  worship — merely  the  god  of  gardens,  but  of  fruitful- 
ness in  general. 

Like  the  other  rural  gods,  Priapos  is  of  a ruddy  com- 
plexion. His  cloak  is  filled  with  all  kinds  of  fruit ; he  has 
a scythe  in  his  hand,  and  usually  a horn  of  plenty.  Some- 
times his  statue  was  placed  in  gardens,  crowned  with  a 
wreath  of  herbs,  and  bearing  a crooked  knife  in  his  hand. 

SATYRS. 

The  forest,  with  its  shades  and  deep  recesses,  is  the 
scene  also  of  those  wanton  beings,  called  Satyrs,  whose 
human  shape  is  disfigured  by  the  horns  and  feet  of  a goat. 
They  are,  as  it  were,  the  middle  link,  which  in  nature’s 
great  chain  connects  the  brute  creation  with  the  human 
world. 

In  these  beings  the  slender  feet  of  a goat  is  in  a bur- 
lesque manner  joined  to  a human  form  ; and  a similar 
contrast  exhibits  youthful  wantonness  and  careless  levity, 

9 


194 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


blended  with  the  higher  spirit  that  dwells  within  them. 
Although  mortal,  they  are  superior  to  the  cares  and  sor- 
rows of  mortal  life. 

Belief  in  the  existence  of  these  beings,  as  well  as  others 
of  the  same  kind,  must  necessarily  have  been  perpetuated 
from  the  idea  that  no  one  was  permitted  to  behold  a nymph 
or  a satyr  unpunished.  Thus,  instead  of  endeavoring  to 
ascertain  the  truth  or  falsehood  of  their  existence,  every 
one  shunned  the  sight  of  them,  avoiding  such  places  as  they 
were  reported  to  have  chosen  for  their  haunts.  It  was  the 
inspired  poet  alone,  who,  amid  lonely  rocks,  beheld  in  the 
train  of  Bacchos,  nymphs  and  satyrs,  listening  to  the  in- 
struction of  the  god,  and  goat  footed  satyrs  with  erect  and 
pointed  ears.  In  the  Greek  mythology  they  were  insepa- 
rably connected  with  the  worship  of  Bacchos,  and  repre- 
sent the  luxuriant,  vital  powers  of  nature. 

In  the  Satyrs,  art  has  attempted  to  represent  human 
form  bordering  as  nearly  as  possible  on  brutal  shape.  A 
Satyr,  exhibited  upon  an  antique  gem,  as  he  is  contending 
with  a he-goat,  and  pushing  him,  is  scarcely  distinguished 
from  that  animal,  except  by  his  body  and  arms ; the  goat 
form  being  extended  even  to  the  face,  which,  although  hu- 
man, betrays  the  nature  of  the  brute. 

These  comic  Nymphs,  Genii,  and  Cupids  produce  an 
agreeable  contrast  in  the  train  of  Bacchos ; and  it  would 
seem  as  if  they  were  a necessary  part  of  those  groups,  and 
of  the  divine  formations  in  general ; fiction  being  as  it  were 
completed  by  those  beings,  half  divine  and  half  brute. 

FAUNS. 

The  Fauns  differ  from  the  Satyrs;  at  least,  according  to 
the  technical  language  of  modern  times.  They  are  repre- 
sented entirely  in  human  form,  but  with  erect  and  pointed 
ears,  and  the  tail  of  a goat.  Yet  without  these  external 
marks,  a Faun  is  easily  recognized  by  his  rough,  ignoblo 


SYLVAN  US.  THEMIS. 


195 


features,  which  indicate  the  character  attributed  to  him. 
Still  there  are  some  ancient  monuments,  which  exhibit 
Fauns  of  admirable  beauty,  in  whose  features  that  half- 
brutish,  sensual  temper  is  but  slightly  indicated. 

The  peasants  sacrificed  lambs  and  kids  to  the  Fauns 
with  great  solemnity. 

SYLVANUS. 

Sylvanus  was  a deity  who  presided  over  the  woods  and 
the  fruits  they  produced,  and  was  worshipped  by  the  na- 
tions of  Latium.  He  was  represented  like  Pan,  except  that 
he  bears  a branch  of  cypress  in  his  hand,  which  intimates 
night  in  the  forest,  and  alludes  also  to  the  joyless  and 
melancholy  nature  of  his  abode,  which  rendered  him  an 
object  of  terror  to  peasants  and  shepherds. 

THEMIS. 

Zeus,  when  Lord  of  all,  united  with  Themis,  which  sig- 
nifies possibility  or  aptitude  arising  from  the  necessary 
connection  of  things,  or  the  laws  of  their  existence.  In 
action,  Themis  is  the  source  of  law,  and  her  predictions 
of  truth. 

Themis,  as  goddess  of  justice,  still  maintains  her  place 
among  the  modern  deities.  In  this  character,  presiding 
over  the  distribution  of  justice,  she  is  represented  as  a 
noble  and  majestic  woman,  having  her  eyes  covered  with 
a fillet,  holding  a balance  in  one  hand,  and  a sword  in  the 
other.  She  is  said  to  have  succeeded  her  mother  Earth 
in  the  possession  of  the  Delphic  oracle,  and  to  have  volun- 
tarily resigned  it  to  her  sister  Phoebe,  who  gave  it  as  a 
natal  gift  to  Phoebos- Apollo. 

By  some  mythologists,  Themis  is  considered  merely  a? 
an  epithet  of  earth  ; and  others  consider  her  as  the  oldest 
purely  allegorical  personification  of  a virtue. 

The  ancient  poets  also  mention,  her  daughter  Astrsea, 


196 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


wlio  descended  from  Heaven  to  be  the  tutelary  deity  of 
mortals,  distributing  justice,  settling  differences,  teaching 
the  principles  of  integrity,  and  inculcating  an  abhorrence 
of  injustice  and  crime.  Pitying  the  unfortunate  race  of 
Prometheus,  she  dwelt  with  them  for  a long  time ; but 
when  she  found  that,  notwithstanding  her  endeavors,  jus- 
tice was  overthrown  by  the  misdeeds  of  men,  and  all  rever- 
ence for  what  is  holy  banished  from  their  lives,  she  left 
them  in  disgust  and  fled  back  to  Heaven. 

RORM, 

Having  become  the  wife  of  Zeus,  Themis  produced  the 
three  amiable  guides  and  guardians  of  life,  the  Horse, 
whose  names  are  Eunomia  [order).  Dike  ['punishment), 
Irene  [peace).  Their  office  was  to  promote  unanimity  by 
the  exercise  of  equity  and  justice.  They  likewise  stand 
around  the  throne  of  Zeus,  and  their  regular  occupation  is 
to  open  and  shut  the  gates  of  Heaven,  and  yoke  the  steeds 
to  the  chariot  of  the  Sun. 

Under  the  name  of  the  Horae,  the  ancient  fictions  com- 
prise, in  the  first  place,  the  Genii  of  justice,  children  of 
Zeus  and  Themis ; and  then  the  Seasons ; which,  by  a 
just  partition  of  their  benefits,  as  it  were,  preserve  in 
continual  succession  the  equipoise  of  nature. 

The  dancing  Horae,  following  each  other  in  measured 
steps,  are  an  emblem  of  fleeting  time ; and,  as  friends  and 
companions  of  the  Graces,  often  mingle  with  them  in  a 
common  choir. 

Winkleman’s  monuments  contain  a representation  of  the 
three  Horae,  taken  from  an  antique  marble.  One  of  them, 
crowned  with  palm  leaves,  and  standing  before  an  altar, 
bearing  fruit  in  her  hands,  signifies  Autumn  ; another,  be- 
fore whose  feet  a flower  has  sprung  up,  is  an  emblem  of 
Spring ; and  near  the  third,  on  a pile  of  stones  like  an 
altar,  a little  fire  appears,  intimating  Winter.  Under  the 


EROS  OR  CUPID. 


197 


serene  and  mild  sky  of  Greece,  Summer  and  Autumn  vary 
but  little  in  temperature  as  well  as  products,  therefore, 
one  emblem  is  sufficient  for  both  ; the  Athenians  usually 
represented  but  two  seasons,  Thallo  and  Carpo,  blossom  and 
fruit,  the  whole  year  being  divided  by  them  into  spring 
and  autumn. 

By  poets  and  artists  the  seasons  are  all  personified. 
They  are  frequently  seen  together  on  relievi,  medals,  and 
gems.  On  a medal  of  Commodus,  they  appear  moving 
over  a celestial  globe,  which  lies  by  the  goddess  Tellus. 
The  artists  have  also  followed  the  poets  in  representing  the 
four  ages  of  life  by  depicting  Yer  ( spring ),  as  infantile  and 
tender ; iEstas  (summer),  as  young  and  sprightly  ; Autum- 
nus  (autumn),  mature  and  manly  ; and  Hyems  (winter),  as 
old  and  decrepid. 

Again  Yer  is  a youth  decorated  with  a coronet  of  flow- 
ers, or  a basket  of  flowers  in  his  hand  ; iEstas  is  crowned 
with  corn  or  holds  a sickle  in  his  hand  ; Autumnus  is 
usually  distinguished  by  his  crown  of  different  fruits ; and 
Hyems  by  his  crown  of  reeds,  the  birds  in  his  hand,  or  the 
beast  at  his  feet ; and  also  by  his  warm  clothing. 

EROS  OR  CUPID. 

Eros  or  Cupid  is  unnoticed  by  Homer.  In  the  Theogony 
he  is  one  of  the  first  beings,  and  produced  without  parents. 
In  the  Orphic  poems  he  was  the  son  of  Kronos.  Sappho 
made  him  the  offspring  of  Heaven  and  Earth,  while  Si- 
monides assigned  him  Aphrodite  and  Ares  for  parents. 
In  Oleu’s  hymn  to  Eileithyia,  that  goddess  was  termed 
the  mother  of  Love  ; and  Alcaeus  said,  that  well-sandalled 
Iris  bore  Love  to  gold-locked  Zephyros. 

Thespise  in  Boeotia  was  the  place  in  which  Eros  was  most 
worshipped.  The  Thespians  celebrated  games  in  his  honor 
on  Mount  Helicon.  The  oldest  image  of  the  god  in  their 
city  was  of  plain  stone  ; but  Praxiteles  afterwards  made  for 


193 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


them  one  of  Pentelican  marble  of  rare  beauty.  Eros  also 
bad  altars  at  Athens  and  elsewhere. 

The  God  of  Love  was  usually  represented  as  a plump- 
cheeked, rosy  boy,  with  light  hair  floating  on  his  shoulders. 
He  is  always  winged  and  armed  with  bow  and  arrows. 

Under  the  appellation  of  Eros  and  Anteros,  Love,  and 
Love  requited,  ancient  art  represents  two  Cupids  contend- 
ing for  the  possession  of  a palm  branch,  to  signify  zeal  in 
mutual  love. 

The  divine  person  of  Eros  is  multiplied  by  the  ancients. 
Those  little  Cupids  or  Genii  of  Love,  who  every  where  ap- 
pear in  ancient  fictions,  are,  as  it  were,  sparks  of  this 
being.  Poetry  is  inexhaustible  in  beautiful  emblematic 
representations  of  the  all-conquering  god.  Thus  we  find 
him  as  breaking  the  thunderbolts  of  Zeus : or  as  arrayed 
in  the  lion  skin  of  Heracles,  and  armed  with  his  club  ; or 
as  stepping  on  the  helmet  of  Ares,  whose  shield  and  spear 
are  lying  at  his  feet ; or,  finally,  as  riding  on  a lion,  taming 
the  beast  by  the  strains  of  his  lyre  : — a beautiful  emblem 
of  the  combined  power  of  love  and  music. 

CHARITES  OR  GRACES. 

In  the  Graces  are  multiplied  the  eminently  dazzling 
charms  of  the  powerful  Goddess  of  Love.  The  three  sis- 
ters descended  from  Heaven,  for  the  benefit  of  mortal  men 
- — instilling  into  their  bosoms  the  lovely  feeling  of  grati- 
tude and  mutual  benevolence,  and  gracing  their  persons 
with  the  precious  gift  of  pleasing. 

The  Graces  were  children  of  Zeus  and  Eurynome,  the 
beautiful  daughter  of  Oceanos ; and  their  names  were 
Aglaia  ( Splendor ),  Thalia  (Pleasure),  and  Euphrosyne 
(Joy).  Temples  and  altars  were  every  where  erected  to 
their  honor ; every  age  and  every  profession  solicited  their 
Caver  ; arts  and  sciences  paid  homage  to  them ; their  altars 


CAMEN;E  or  muses. 


199 


were  never  without  fragrant  incense  ; and  at  every  joyful 
repast,  their  names  were  mentioned  with  veneration. 

Associated  in  friendly  union  with  Love  and  the  Muses, 
^hey  had  often  a temple  in  common  with  the  former,  and 
still  oftener  with  the  latter.  In  Olympos  they  surrounded 
the  throne  of  Jupiter.  In  heaven,  as  well  as  on  earth, 
their  dominion  was  acknowledged,  and  their  influence, 
without  which  beauty  itself  is  but  a dead  picture,  was  re- 
spected and  honored.  In  the  dancing  attitudes  of  the 
three  graceful  sisters,  are  expressed  the  charms  of  personal 
dignity,  of  elegant  movement,  and  of  attitude  and  counte- 
nance by  which  beauty  gains  the  soul  of  man  ; and  walking 
hand  in  hand  as  loving  sisters,  they  indicate  also  every  ten- 
der emotion  of  a heart  overflowing  with  affection,  friend 
ship,  and  benevolence. 

The  happy  influence  which  the  religious  veneration  of 
these  lovely  and  significant  beings  exercised  on  the  ideas 
and  feelings  of  the  ancients,  is  to  be  recognized  in  the 
whole  life  of  the  Greeks,  as  well  as  their  works  of  art  and 
science.  The  favor  of  the  Graces  was  no  where  to  be  dis- 
pensed with ; and  in  order  to  intimate  that,  to  make  even 
the  most  extravagant  formations  of  fancy  agreeable,  grace 
must  be  concealed,  hollow  statues  of  Satyrs  were  formed, 
within  which  were  found  little  figures  of  the  Graces. 

CAMENiE  OR  MUSES. 

Mnemosyne,  the  personification  of  memory  as  the  source 
and  repository  of  every  art  and  science,  belongs  to  the  an- 
cient deities ; for  she  is  the  daughter  of  Heaven  and 
Earth ; and  as  mankind  are  indebted  to  memory  for  their 
progress  in  science,  Mnemosyne  is  said  to  be  the  parent 
of  the  Muses,  who  divided  among  themselves  that  treasure 
of  wisdom  which  their  venerable  mother  alone  possessed. 

The  Muses,  as  well  as  the  Horse  and  Graces,  all  of  them 
daughters  of  Zeus,  originally  presided  over  the  stars  and 


200 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


the  seasons ; but  the  later  Greeks  took  away  these  func- 
tions, giving  them  only  such  as  were  of  a poetic  character. 
An  ancient  bard  thus  sings  the  praises  of  the  nine  sisters  : 
u They  pour  on  the  lips  of  man,  whom  they  favor,  the  dew 
of  soft  persuasion  ; they  bestow  on  him  wisdom,  that  he 
may  be  a judge  and  umpire  among  his  people,  and  give 
him  renown  among  nations  : and  the  poet  who  wanders  on 
the  mountain  tops  and  in  the  lowly  dales,  is  inspired  by 
them  with  divine  strains,  which  dispel  sorrow  and  grief 
from  the  breast  of  every  mortal.” 

Their  appropriate  employments  are  music,  song,  and 
dance ; but  playful  fiction  has  given  to  each  of  the  sisters 
a particular  vocation.  Calliope  was  the  muse  of  eloquence 
and  heroic  poetry  (to  her  the  ancients  gave  precedence) ; 
Clio,  of  history  ; Erato,  of  amorous  poetry ; Euterpe,  of 
music  ; Melpomene,  of  tragedy  ; Polyhymnia,  of  eloquence 
and  imitation  ; Terpsichore,  of  dancing ; Thalia,  of  comic 
and  lyric  poetry  ; and  Urania,  of  astronomy.  On  a sar- 
cophagus, in  the  Capitoliue  Gallery  at  Rome,  there  is  a re- 
lievo in  which  the  nine  muses  are  represented ; by  the 
help  of  this,  together  with  Ausonius’  description  of  them 
(Idyl.  20).  an  attempt  has  been  macle  to  distinguish  one 
muse  from  another.  Herodotus  has  annexed  their  names 
to  the  nine  books  of  his  history  ; and  from  their  arrange- 
ment, as  well  as  from  the  relievos,  it  would  appear  that 
their  order  is  quite  arbitrary.  In  the  relievo  above  men- 
tioned, they  are  placed  and  distinguished  in  the  following 
manner  : Clio  is  first,  and  distinguished  by  the  roll  in  her 
hand,  or  sometimes  with  the  longer,  bolder  pipe.  Her  office 
was  to  celebrate  the  actions  of  departed  heroes ; though 
Statius  makes  her  descend  to  lower  functions,  from  the 
Old  notion  that  every  thing  penned  in  hexameters  was 
tn  epic  poem.  (See  Engraving  on  opposite  page.) 

Thalia  was  the  Muse  of  comedy  and  pastorals,  and  is 


C A M E N JE  OR  MUSES. 


201 


distinguished  by  the 
comic  mask  in  her  hand, 
and  her  pastoral  crook. 

Terpsichore  has  no- 
thing to  distinguish 
her ; Ausonius  gives 
her  the  cithara  (or  lyre), 
and  sometimes  she  is 
represented  in  a danc- 
ing attitude.  On  the 
medals  of  the  Pompo- 
nian  family,  three  Mu- 
ses have  stringed  in- 
struments in  their 
hands,  and  are  sup- 
posed to  represent  Terp- 
sichore, Erato, and  Poly- 
hymnia. 

Euterpe  presided 
over  music  and  per- 
formed on  two  pipes  at 
once,  as  in  the  remarks 
before  Terence’s  plays. 
By  these  pipes  she  is 
distinguished,  though 
sometimes  she  holds  the 
fistula  (or  pipe),  and  is 
so  described  by  Auso- 
nius. 


Erato,  who  presided  over  amorous  poetry,  is  represented 
at  times  as  pensive,  and  again  full  of  gaiety  ; both  which 
characters,  though  directly  opposite,  suit  with  the  ever- 
varying  moods  of  lovers,  and  are  appropriate  to  their  pa- 
troness. Ovid  invokes  Erato  in  his  Art  of  Love,  and  like 
wise  in  his  Fasti  for  April,  which  among  the  Romans  was 


9* 


202 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


‘ V 

considered  as  peculiarly  the  lover’s  month.  But  Virgil, 
in  his  iEneid,  appears  with  less  propriety  to  invoke  her 
before  a field  of  battle  ; unless,  indeed,  it  was  that  a woman 
was  the  occasion  of  the  war.  Calliope  is  called  by  Ovid 
the  chief  of  the  Muses;  and  by  Horace,  Regina,  as  skilful 
on  all  instruments.  The  tablets  in  the  hand  mark  her 
distinguishing  character,  which  was  to  note  down  the  wor- 
thy actions  of  men. 

Polyhymnia  is  designated  by  a stringed  instrument, 
perhaps  what  the  Romans  call  barbiton , for  which  we  have 
no  name. 

Urania  presided  over  astronomy,  and  is  distinguished 
by  the  celestial  globe  and  the  radius.  In  statues,  the  globe 
is  sometimes  placed  in  her  hand,  and  sometimes  on  a 
column  before  her.  Melpomene,  the  Muse  of  tragedy,  was 
supposed  to  preside  over  melancholy  subjects  of  all  kinds. 
She  is  distinguished  by  the  mask  on  her  head. 

In  the  Homeric  poems,  the  Muses  are  the  goddesses 
of  song  and  poetry,  and  live  on  Olympos.  There  they 
sing  the  festive  songs  at  the  repasts  of  the  immortals.  At 
the  funeral  of  Patroclus  they  sing  lamentations. 

The  Muses  were  sometimes  represented  as  dancing  in 
chorus,  to  intimate  the  near  and  indissoluble  connection 
that  exists  between  the  liberal  arts  and  sciences ; but 
more  generally  appeared  differently  attired,  and  with  sym- 
bols of  their  respective  characters. 

Their  worship  was  universally  established,  particularly 
in  the  enlightened  parts  of  Greece,  Thessaly,  and  Italy. 
Sacrifices  were  not  offered  to  them,  but  no  poet  ever  com- 
menced his  task  without  addressing  a solemn  invocation  to 
the  Muses  who  preside  over  verse. 

The  sacred  retreats  of  these  divine  sisters,  from  whose 
lips  flowed  the  stream  of  song  and  sweet  eloquence,  were 
the  celebrated  mountains  Parnassus,  Pindus,  and  Helicon. 


HEBE. 


203 


HEBE. 

Hebe,  the  goddess  of  youth, 
was  daughter  of  Zeus  and  He- 
ra. She  was  employed  by  her 
mother  to  prepare  her  chariot, 
and  harness  her  peacocks, when- 
ever requisite,  and  was  cup- 
bearer to  all  the  gods. 

Fable  says,  that  Zeus  dis- 
missed her  from  this  office,  de- 
claring her  to  be  unworthy  of 
it,  because,  on  one  occasion, 
when  handing  nectar  to  the 
gods,  she,  by  a fall,  violated 
that  gracefulness  which  must  accompany  every  motion  and 
gesture  of  the  attendants  at  the  table  of  Olympos. 

She  was  superseded  by  Ganymedes  (Joy -promoter),  a son 
of  Tros,  and  a great-grandson  of  Dardanos,  the  founder  of 
Troy.  The  poets  say,  “he  was  the  handsomest  of  mortal 
men  and  on  account  of  his  beauty,  the  gods  took  him 
from  the  earth,  that  in  Olympos  he  might  reach  the  nec- 
tar cup  to  Jove ; henceforth  partaking  of  the  constant 
society  of  the  immortals.  In  the  shape  of  his  eagle,  the 
Thunderer  carried  away  his  favorite  from  the  top  of  Mount 
Ida,  softly  bearing  him  in  his  crooked  talons  from  earth 
upward  to  the  sky.  In  this  charming  fiction,  consoling 
Fancy  veiled  the  loss  of  the  youth,  who,  in  the  prime  of 
life  and  beauty,  could  scarcely  be  thought  mortal ; and 
therefore  his  vanishing  from  the  earth  was  explained  as  a 
removal  to  the  seat  of  the  celestials. 

The  fictions  respecting  the  favorites  of  the  gods,  gain  a 
peculiar  charm  by  a kind  of  dim  and  melancholy  twilight 
in  which  they  are  veiled.  Whenever  youth  and  beauty 
became  the  prey  of  death,  some  deity  was  said  to  have  re- 


204 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


moved  her  favorite  from  the  earth.  In  this  manner,  mourn- 
ing was  mingled  with  joy ; and  lamentations  for  the  de- 
parted were  mitigated.  These  fictions,  therefore,  are  most 
frequently  represented  upon  ancient  marble  coffins. 

When  Heracles  was  translated  to  the  skies,  and  raised 
to  the  rank  of  a god,  Hebe  was  given  to  him  in  marriage 
— a beautiful  fiction,  by  which  the  venerated  sun-god  was 
united  to  immortal  youth. 

Hebe,  the  personification  of  youth,  had  the  power  of 
restoring  gods  and  men  to  youth,  and,  at  the  instance  of 
her  husband,  performed  that  kind  office  to  his  friend  Ielaos. 
She  was  worshipped  at  Sicyon  under  the  name  of  Dia,  and 
at  Rome  under  the  name  of  Juventas.  Hebe  is  repre- 
sented as  a young  virgin,  crowned  with  flowers,  and  arrayed 
in  a variegated  garment.  Sometimes  she  holds  the  nectar 
cup  ; at  others,  the  eagle  stands  by  her  side,  which  she  is 
in  the  act  of  caressing. 

PROTEUS. 

Proteus,  a sea-deity,  was  considered  by  some  as  a son 
of  Ocean  os  and  Tethys ; by  others,  as  a son  of  Poseidon 
and  Phoenice. 

Homer  introduces  him  in  the  fourth  book  of  the  Odyssey, 
styling  him  a Sea-elder,  and  gives  him  the  power  of  fore- 
telling the  future.  He  also  calls  him  Egyptian,  or  servant 
of  Neptune,  and  says  that  his  office  was  to  keep  the  seals, 
or  sea-calves,  belonging  to  the  Ruler  of  the  waves. 

Proteus  could  assume  any  form  at  pleasure,  changing 
himself  into  fire  or  water,  plant  or  animal,  which  rendered 
him  difficult  of  access ; and  sometimes,  when  consulted, 
evaded  an  answer  by  a sudden  metamorphosis.  To  those 
only  who  held  him  fast  with  vigorous  arms,  did  he  appear 
in  his  real  character,  and  by  his  spirit  of  divination  reveal 
to  thorn  the  truth. 


ASCLEPIOS  OR  ^SCULAPIUS. 


205 


ASCLEPIOS  OR  iESCUL  A.PIUS. 


The  first  beginning 
of  medical  science  was 
likewise  considired  by 
the  ancients  as  some- 
thing divine,  and  its 
possessor  and  practiser 
as  worthy  of  venera- 
tion. He  who  first  ap- 
plied medical  art  was 
looked  upon,  even  af- 
ter his  death,  as  a be- 
neficent human  being, 
to  whom  the  sick 
would  not  address 
their  prayers  in  vain. 

iEsculapius  was  the 
son  of  Apollo  and  Co- 
ronis,  the  daughter  of 
a Thessalian  king.  By 
his  father  he  was  com- 
mitted to  the  care  of 
the  wise  Centaur,  Chei- 
ron,  who  taught  him 
Botany,  together  with 
the  secret  efficacy  of 
plants.  By  means  of 
this  information,  iEs- 
culapius  became  the 
benefactor  of  mankind, 
applying  the  various 
remedies  that  he  had 
learned  to  the  diseases  which  afflict  mankind. 

And  so  successful  was  he  in  the  practice  of  the  art,  that 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


206 


fiction  speaks  of  him  as  having  awakened  the  dead.  Pluto, 
the  ever-destroying  power,  considering  this  an  encroach- 
ment on  his  rights,  complained  before  the  throne  of  Jupi 
ter,  of  the  awaker  from  the  dead  as  a daring  criminal 
Jupiter  then  punished  the  second  great  benefactor  of  man- 
kind, as  he  had  done  the  first  (Prometheus),  by  hurling 
lightnings  upon  his  innocent  head.  He  who  had  assuaged 
the  pains  of  men,  and  healed  their  diseases,  thus  became 
himself  a victim  of  his  beneficent  art. 

After  his  death,  groves,  temples,  and  altars  were  conse- 
crated to  him  ; but  Epidaurus,  in  Greece,  was  the  principal 
seat  of  honor.  His  sons,  Machaon  and  Podaleirios,  were 
heroes  and  leaders  in  the  Trojan  war,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  renowned  for  their  skill  in  medical  art. 

The  snake,  as  an  emblem  of  recovery 
and  health,  was  sacred  to  Asclepios,  prob- 
ably because  of  its  renewing  itself,  as  it 
were,  by  casting  its  skin.  Hence  the  god 
of  medicine  always  carries  a staff,  around 
which  is  twined  a snake.  The  figure  of  a 
little  boy  is  sometimes  found  with  that  of 
Asclepios,  wearing  a bonnet  on  his  head, 
and  entirely  muffled  in  a cloak.  His  name 
is  Telesphoros  ; and  his  infant  form,  to- 
gether with  his  usual  covering,  seems  to 
allude,  in  a certain  manner,  to  his  conva- 
lescence, as  well  as  the  mysterious  art  of 
his  master. 

Of  his  four  daughters,  Hygeia,  iEgle, 

Panacea,  and  Iaso,  Hygeia  was  the  most  celebrated.  To 
her,  divine  honors  were  paid  ; and  her  occupation,  like  that 
of  her  father,  was  the  preservation  of  health.  This  benefit 
she  distributes  among  mortals  as  a mild  gift,  whenever 
she  descends  frvm  the  higher  regions  to  earth.  She  is 


JANUS. 


207 


represented  with  a snake  eating  out  of  a flat  cup  which  sh* 
holds  in  her  hand. 

The  temples  of  Asclepios  were  regarded  as  sanctuaries 
which  none  of  the  profane  could  approach  without  repeated 
purifications ; and  the  statue  of  Hygeia  at  iEgrium,  in 
Achaia,  could  only  be  viewed  by  the  priests.  The  temple 
at  Tithorea  was  surrounded  by  a hedge  in  the  vicinity 
of  which  no  edifice  could  be  erected.  This  hedge  was 
forty  stadia  from  the  building  itself. 

The  worship  rendered  to  Asclepios  had  for  its  object  the 
diversion  of  the  sick,  by  the  ceremonies  of  which  they  were 
the  witnesses. 

JANUS. 

The  worship  of  Janus  must  be  ascribed  to  the  Etrus- 
cans, by  whom  he  was  regarded  as  the  inspector  of  Heaven, 
and  therefore  of  all  transactions.  An  image  of  the  god 
with  four  faces  came  from  Valerii  to  Rome,  which  is  sup- 
posed to  have  reference  to  the  four  regions  of  Heaven. 

In  Italy  he  was  usually  represented  with  two  faces,  one 
before  and  one  behind,  and  hence  called  Bifrons  and  Bi- 
ceps. Sometimes  he  is  represented  with  four  faces,  and 
then  called  Quadrifrons.  There  was  an  ancient  statue  of 
this  deity  in  the  Forum,  said  to  be  as  old  as  the  time  of 
Numa,  of  which  the  Augers  were  so  formed  that  those  of 
one  hand  represented  three  hundred  (COC),  those  of  the 
other  fifty-five  (LV),  the  number  of  the  days  of  the  ancient 
lunar  year.  All  this  is  explicable  on  the  supposition  of 
Janus  being  the  sun,  the  author  of  the  year,  with  its  sea- 
sons, months,  and  days. 

J anus  was  invoked  at  the  commencement  of  most  actions  ; 
even  in  the  worship  of  the  other  gods  the  votary  began  by 
offering  wine  and  incense  to  Janus.  The  first  month  in  the 
year  was  named  from  him  ; and  under  the  title  of  Matu- 
tinus  he  was  regarded  as  the  opener  of  the  day.  Hence  he 


208 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


had  charge  of  the  gates  of  Heaven,  and  hence,  too,  all 
gates,  Januce , were  called  after  him,  and  supposed  to  be 
under  his  care.  Hence,  perhaps,  it  was,  that  he  was  repre- 
sented with  a staff  and  key,  and  that  he  was  named  the 
Opener  ( Palulcius ),  and  the  Shutter  ( Clusius). 

The  Janus  Geminus,  or  Janus  Quirinus,  was  the  cele- 
brated gate  (not  temple)  which  stood  on  the  way  leading 
from  the  Palatine  Quiriual,  and  which  was  to  be  open  in 
time  of  war,  and  shut  in  time  of  peace.  To  understand 
this  much  mistaken  subject  (for  nothing  is  more  common 
than  to  speak  of  opening  or  shutting  the  temple  of  Janus), 
we  must  go  back  to  the  early  days  of  Rome. 

The  temples  of  Janus  Quadrifrons  were  built  with  four 
equal  sides,  each  side  containing  a door  and  three  windows. 
The  doors  were  emblematic  of  the  four  seasons,  and  the 
windows  of  the  three  months  belonging  to  each. 


Comus,  the  god  of  gay  humor  and  merry  jests,  presided 
at  banquets,  and  in  general  at  all  social  feasts. 

Hymen,  the  god  of  marriage,  presided  at  all  nuptial 
feasts. 

Plutus,  the  god  of  riches,  was  represented  by  the  ancients 
as  blind,  and  as  bestowing  his  favors  indiscriminately  upon 
the  good  and  the  bad. 

Libertas  (Liberty)  was  a goddess  of  Rome.  She  is 
represented  in  the  figure  of  a woman,  holding  in  one  hand 
a rod,  and  in  the  other  a cap.  This  cap  was  a badge  of 
liberty  used  on  all  occasions. 

Vertumnus  presided  over  the  growth  of  Spring,  the 
crops  of  Summer,  and  the  fruits  of  Autumn. 

Terminus  was  worshipped  at  Rome  as  the  guardian  of 
landmarks. 

Pales,  the  goddess  of  shepherds,  presided  over  cattle 
and  pastures. 


MINOR  DEITIES. 


209 


Flora,  the  goddess  of  flowers,  is  fabled  to  have  married 
Zephyros. 

Pomona,  the  wife  of  Vertumnus.  presided  over  fruit 
trees. 

Feronia  was  the  guardian  deity  of  woods  and  groves. 

Victory  attended  the  conquests  of  all  heroes. 

Fortuna,  the  goddess  of  fortune,  was  supposed  to  dis- 
tribute riches  and  poverty,  blessings  and  misfortunes, 
pleasures  and  pains. 

Fortitudo  (Fortitude),  a deification  of  courage  and 
bravery,  was  one  of  the  moral  deities  of  the  Romans. 

Veritas  (Truth)  is  said  to  be  the  parent  of  Justice  and 
Virtue. 

Virtus  (Virtue),  daughter  of  Truth,  is  represented  as 
clothed  in  white,  as  an  emblem  of  purity. 

Honos  (Honor)  was  worshipped  as  a virtue  at  Rome. 

Pax  (Peace)  wears  a crown  of  laurel,  and  holds  in  her 
hand  the  branch  of  an  olive  tree. 

Fidelitas  (Fidelity)  presided  over  the  virtues  of  men, 
and  the  conduct  of  human  life. 

Felicitas  (Felicity)  was  a symbolical,  moral  deity  of 
the  Greeks  and  Romans.  She  was  the  goddess  of  happi- 
ness and  prosperity. 

Amieitia  (Friendship)  was  represented  by  the  Greeks  in 
a clasped  garment,  her  head  bare,  her  dress  open  near  the 
heart,  holding  in  her  left  hand  an  elm  around  which  a 
vine  is  clinging,  filled  with  clusters  of  grapes. 

At  Rome  she  was  represented  as  a young  maiden  with 
a white  robe,  her  bosom  partially  covered,  her  head  adorn- 
ed with  myrtle  and  pomegranate  flowers  intermixed.  On 
the  border  of  her  tunic  was  written  “ Death  and  Life ;”  on 
her  front,  u Summer  and  Winter.”  Her  side  was  open, 
and  her  heart  visible,  bearing  these  words,  “ Far  and  near.”* 


* For  a full  account  of  these  deities  see  large  edition. 


PART  FOURTH. 


DEMI-GODS  AND  HEROES. 


In  the  assembly  of  the  gods,  Jupiter  is  represented  as 
ruling  supreme.  He  frowns,  and  Olympus  trembles ; he 
smiles,  and  the  sky  brightens.  But  heaven  is  not  his  only 
theatre  of  action  ; enveloping  his  deity  in  illusive  forms, 
he  descends  to  earth  to  propagate  his  power  in  a race  of 
heroes. 

From  his  seat  on  high,  he  descends  to  Danae  in  the 
form  of  a golden  shower,  and  the  valiant  Perseus  springs 
forth  ; who,  with  powerful  arm,  subdues  monsters. 

In  the  form  of  Amphitryon  he  appears  to  Alcmena,  and 
makes  her  the  mother  of  Hercules. 

With  the  majestic  neck  of  a swan,  he  clings  to  Leda 
for  protection,  and  she  becomes  the  mother  of  the  mag- 
nanimous Pollux,  and  the  god  like  Helena,  the  most  beau- 
tiful woman  that  earth  ever  produced. 

In  the  strength  of  a mettled  bull,  he  invites  the  virgin 
Europa  to  mount  his  back,  and  carries  her  through  the 
floods  of  the  sea  to  the  shores  of  Crete,  where  she  brings 
forth  Minos,  the  wise  and  powerful  law-giver  of  nations. 

In  these  fictions  all  nature  is  deified  ; even  animals  are 
considered  as  sacred  beings.  Thus  nothing  mean  or  abject 
lies  in  the  idea  of  representing  the  supreme  divinity  in  any 
form  that  is  offered  by  all-comprising  nature.  As  the  wind 


212 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


stirs  up  the  quiet  sea,  so  the  jealousy  of  Juno  brings  life 
into  these  fictions  of  imagination  ; and  this  jealousy  is  not 
destitute  of  sublimity,  for,  being  endowed  with  divine 
power,  it  checks  even  the  boasted  omnipotence  of  the 
Thunderer. 

That  an  opposing,  jealous,  yet  eminent  power  strives  to 
check  the  highest  authority,  is  likewise  entirely  appropriate 
to  the  genius  of  these  fables  ; according  to  which,  the  beau- 
tiful and  strong,  in  developing  itself,  must  struggle  against 
opposition  and  difficulties,  and  sustain  many  trials  and 
dangers  before  its  value  is  acknowledged  and  approved. 

The  demi-gods  were  also  called  Semones,  as  being  de- 
scended from  a mortal  and  an  immortal.  The  deified  mor- 
tals, or  peculiar  gods  of  any  country,  were  called  Indigetes. 

In  the  poems  of  Homer,  the  heroes  are  described  merely 
ns  warriors  who  had  distinguished  themselves  by  extraor- 
dinary strength,  courage,  and  prudence  ; these  qualities 
being  essential  to  those  who  were  charged  either  with  the 
government  of  the  people,  or  the  conduct  of  the  wars. 
The  poets,  posterior  to  Homer,  placed  the  heroes  in  an  in- 
termediate rank  between  gods  and  men  ; therefore  they 
were  called  demi-gods,  and  temples  were  erected,  and  sacri- 
fices offered  to  them.  Their  time  is  called  the  Heroic , and 
in  the  period  to  which  the  achievements  of  the  heroes  are 
attributed,  much  fable  is  mingled  with  true  history. 

The  heroic  times  of  the  ancients  is  the  period  when  they 
passed  from  the  savage  to  the  civilized  state.  That  of 
the  Greeks  is  the  most  celebrated ; perhaps  from  its  his- 
tory having  been  handed  down  to  us  by  the  most  distin- 
guished poets.  Those  times  commenced  with  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  kingdom  of  Sicyon  (an  ancient  city  of 
Greece),  about  2164  B.  C.,  and  were  closed  after  the  siege 
of  Troy,  1245  ; but  the  greatest  events  are  embraced  in  the 
six  last  centuries  of  that  period. 


PERSEUS. 


213 


PERSEUS. 

The  history  of  Perseus  belongs  to  the  earliest  period  of 
the  heroic  age,  and  is  therefore  the  most  involved  in  clouds 
and  fable. 

To  trace  the  earthly  descent  of  this  hero,  it  is  necessary 
to  go  back  to  old  Inaehos,  whose  daughter,  Io,  gave  Zeus 
a son  in  Egypt,  named  Epaphos.  Libya,  the  regal  daugh- 
ter of  Epaphos,  became  the  mother  of  Belos  and  Agenor, 
the  sons  of  Neptune.  Belos  was  the  father  of  Danaos  and 
JEgyptos. 

Danaos  came  from  iEgyptos  over  to  Greece,  to  assert 
and  maintain  his  claims  to  the  kingdom  of  Argos,  against 
Gelanor,  who  at  that  time  actually  reigned  over  the  coun- 
try. The  claims  of  the  former  rested  upon  his  descent 
from  Inaehos  ; those  of  the  latter,  on  the  right  of  possession. 
The  people  were  called  upon  to  decide  to  whom  the  royal 
crown  belonged  ; while  they  were  yet  wavering,  a wolf 
rushed  into  a herd  of  cows  and  destroyed  the  bull  that 
defended  them.  This  unexpected  accident  was  considered 
as  a sign  from  the  gods,  that  the  stranger  was  destined 
to  reign,  instead  of  the  native.  Accordingly,  Danaos  as- 
cended the  throne ; and  to  him  the  Argives  are  said  to 
be  indebted  for  the  knowledge  of  digging  wells  and  the 
building  of  ships. 

Danaos,  according  to  the  legend,  had  fifty  daughters,  and 
iEgyptos  as  many  sons.  The  latter  came  over  to  Greece, 
each  of  them  intending  to  marry  a daughter  of  Danaos. 
But  Danaos  nad  received  warning  from  an  oracle,  that  one 
of  his  sons-in-law  would  deprive  him  of  his  royal  autho- 
rity ; and,  anxious  to  retain  his  throne,  he  commanded  each 
of  his  daughters  to  kill  her  husband  on  the  first  night  of 
their  marriage.  This  cruel  order  was  obeyed  by  all  of  them 
except  Hypermnestra,  who,  notwithstanding  the  danger 
that  threatened  her  own  life  in  consequence,  suffered  Lyn* 


214 


GRECIAN  A.ND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


ceus,  her  beloved  husband,  to  fly.  But  he  afterwards  re- 
turned ; for  Banaos  became  reconciled  to  his  daughter,  and 
Perseus  and  Hercules,  the  god-like  heroes,  are  descend- 
ants of  Lynceus  and  Hypermnestra.  Endless  labor  was 
the  punishment  inflicted  on  the  Danaides  for  this  crime. 
They  were  condemned  to  pour  water  incessantly  into  a ves- 
sel full  of  holes,  and  to  see  every  moment  that  their  labor 
.is  vain. 

Atlas,  a son  of  Lynceus,  reigned  over  Argos  after  the 
death  of  his  father,  and  left  two  sons,  Proetos  and  Acrisios, 
who  at  different  times  contested  with  each  other  for  the 
royal  authority. 

Acrisios  in  his  turn  feared  destruction  from  his  de- 
scendants. It  had  been  predicted  to  him  that  he  should 
be  killed  by  one  of  his  grandsons.  He  therefore  shut  up 
his  only  daughter,  Danae,  in  a brazen  tower,  that  he  might 
thwart  the  prediction  of  the  oracle.  But  his  precaution 
was  rendered  ineffectual  by  Jupiter,  who,  descending  in  a 
golden  shower  through  an  opening  in  the  roof  of  the  build- 
ing, made  her  the  mother  of  Perseus. 

When  Perseus  was  born,  his  grandfather  committed  both 
mother  and  child  to  the  sea,  in  a crazy  bark.  The  benevo- 
lent goddess  of  the  deep,  tenderly  taking  up  the  divine  boy, 
together  with  his  mother,  in  the  lap  of  the  waters,  brought 
the  bark  to  a haven  on  the  shores  of  the  small  island  of 
Seriphos,  in  the  iEgean  sea.  Here  they  were  found  by  Dic- 
tys,  a fisherman,  and  carried  by  him  to  Polydectes,  king 
of  the  island,  who  kindly  received  both  mother  and  child, 
and  superintended  the  education  of  young  Perseus,  intrust- 
ing him  to  the  care  of  the  priests  of  Minerva’s  temple. 

His  rising  genius  and  manly  courage,  however,  soon  dis- 
pleased Polydectes ; and  the  monarch,  who  wished  to  get 
Danae  into  his  power,  feared  the  resentment  of  her  son. 
Yet  Polydectes  resolved  to  remove  every  obstacle,  and  in- 


PERSEUS. 


215 


vited  his  friends  to  a sumptuous  entertainment,  requiring 
all  who  came  to  present  him  with  a beautiful  horse.  Per- 
seus was  included,  knowing  that  it  was  not  in  his  power  to 
furnish  the  requisite  gift.  But  Perseus,  who  wished  not  to 
appear  inferior  to  the  other  guests  in  magnificence,  told 
the  king,  that  as  he  could  not  bring  him  a horse,  he  would 
bring  the  head  of  Medusa,  the  only  one  of  the  Gorgons 
who  was  subject  to  mortality.  This  offer  was  particularly 
agreeable  to  Polydectes,  as  it  would  remove  Perseus  from 
Seriphos  ; and  as  his  undertaking  seemed  impossible,  the 
attempt  might  perhaps  end  in  his  ruin. 


216 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


The  innocence  of  Perseus  was  protected  by  the  gods. 
Pluto  lent  him  a helmet  which  had  the  power  of  rendering 
the  wearer  invisible  ; Minerva  gave  him  her  buckler,  which 
was  as  resplendent  as  glass  ; and  from  Mercury  he  received 
wings  and  the  talaria,  with  a short  dagger  made  of  dia- 
monds, and  called  harpe.  With  these  arms  Perseus  com- 
menced his  expedition,  and  traversed  the  air,  conducted  by 
the  goddess  Minerva. 

He  first  went  to  the  Graeae,  the  sisters  of  the  Gorgons, 
and  with  the  aid  of  Pluto’s  helmet,  which  made  him  invisi- 
ble, stole  from  them  the  eye  and  tooth  which  they  shared  in 
common,  and  refused  to  return  them  until  he  was  informed 
of  the  residence  of  their  sisters.  When  he  had  received 
every  necessary  information,  he  flew  to  the  habitation  of 
the  Gorgons,  and  found  the  monsters  asleep.  He  knew 
that,  by  fixing  his  eyes  upon  them,  he  should  be  instantly 
changed  to  stone,  he  therefore  looked  continually  upon  his 
shield,  which  reflected  all  objects  as  clearly  as  the  best  mir- 
ror. He  approached  them,  his  courage  supported  by  the 
goddess  Minerva,  and  with  one  blow  struck  off  the  head  of 
Medusa.  The  noise  awoke  the  two  immortal  sisters,  but 
Pluto’s  helmet  rendered  Perseus  invisible,  and  the  attempts 
of  the  Gorgons  to  revenge  their  sister’s  death  proved 
fruitless.  The  conqueror  made  his  way  through  the  air, 
and  from  the  blood  which  dropped  from  the  head  of  Me- 
dusa sprang  those  innumerable  serpents  which  have  ever 
since  infested  the  sandy  deserts  of  Libya. 

Minerva  was  the  chief  instigator  to  this  bloody  deed ; hav- 
ing resolved  on  the  destruction  of  Medusa,  because,  in  com- 
pany with  Neptune,  the  monster  had  profaned  her  sanctu- 
ary. But  when  Perseus  had  brought  down  the  deadly 
Btroke,  Stheino  and  Euryale  sighed  and  groaned  so  loud 
at  the  view  of  their  slain  sister,  and  the  hissing  of  the  snakes 
upon  their  heads  echoed  so  mournfully  to  their  groaning, 
that  Minerva,  moved  at  the  terrible  concert,  invented  a 


V 


PERSEUS. 


217 


flute  with  which  she  endeavored  to  revive  these  mournful 
sounds,  by  imitating  their  different  strains.  Thus,  even 
in  the  midst  of  sanguinary  and  terrible  destruction,  the  god- 
dess of  Art  shines  forth. 

Chrysaor  also,  with  his  golden  sword;  sprang  from  these 
drops  of  blood,  as  well  as  the  horse  Pegasos,  which  immedi- 
ately flew  through  the  air,  and  stopped  on  mount  Helicon, 
where  he  became  the  favorite  of  the  Muses.  Meantime, 
Perseus  had  continued  his  journey  across  the  deserts  of 
Libya  ; but  the  approach  of  night  obliged  him  to  alight  in 
the  territories  of  Atlas,  king  of  Mauritania.  He  went  to 
the  monarch’s  palace,  where  he  hoped  to  meet  with  a kind 
reception,  by  announcing  himself  as  the  son  of  Jupiter. 
But  in  this  he  was  disappointed  ; for  Atlas  recollected  that, 
according  to  the  prediction  of  an  ancient  oracle,  his  gardens 
were  to  be  robbed  of  their  fruit  by  one  of  the  sons  of  Ju- 
piter ; he  therefore  not  only  refused  Perseus  the  hospi 
tality  he  demanded,  but  even  assailed  his  person  with  vio- 
lence. Perseus,  finding  himself  inferior  to  his  powerful 
enemy,  showed  him  the  head  of  Medusa,  and  Atlas  was  in- 
stantly changed  into  a large  mountain,  which  bore  the  same 
name,  in  the  deserts  of  Africa. 

On  the  morrow  Perseus  continued  his  flight,  and  passing 
the  territories  of  Libya,  he  fixed  his  eyes  upon  the  Ethio- 
pian coast,  where  he  beheld  a maiden  fastened  with  chains 
to  a rock,  and  a monster  rising  out  of  the  sea  ready  to  de- 
vour her  ; while  her  parents  stood  on  the  shore  wringing 
their  hands  in  despair.  Perseus  rushed  down  upon  the 
monster  at  the  very  moment  it  was  seizing  its  prey,  struck 
the  deadly  blow,  and  delivered  the  fair  maiden.  It  was 
Andromeda,  who,  to  atone  for  a crime  of  which  she  was 
guiltless,  was  to  have  become  the  victim  of  divine  anger. 
Cassiopeia,  mother  of  Andromeda,  and  wife  of  Cepheus, 
had  dared  to  compare  the  beauty  of  her  daughter  with  that 
of  the  powerful  daughters  of  Nereus,  and  in  consequence, 
1 o 


218 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


the  whole  country  was  laid  waste  with  plagues,  which,  ac- 
cording to  the  oracle  of  Jupiter  Ammon,  were  not  to  cease 
until  Andromeda,  swallowed  up  by  a sea-monster,  should, 
by  her  death,  expiate  the  crime  of  her  mother. 

The  parents  of  Andromeda  having  been  witnesses  of 
their  daughter’s  rescue,  readily  complied  with  the  wish  of 
her  deliverer,  and  gave  her  to  Perseus  in  marriage.  Phi- 
neus,  however,  brother  of  Cepheus,  to  whom  Andromeda 
had  been  betrothed,  accompanied  by  an  armed  body,  ap- 
peared at  the  wedding 'feast,  and  furiously  assailed  the 
bridegroom,  who  would  have  been  overpowered  but  for  the 
head  of  Medusa.  Warning  his  friends  of  the  dangerous 
power  of  the  Gorgon’s  head,  they  turned  away  their  eyes ; 
but  on  showing  it  to  his  adversaries,  they  in  a moment 
became  petrified  statues,  each  in  the  posture  and  attitude 
in  which  he  then  stood. 

After  having  accomplished  these  exploits,  Perseus  con- 
ducted his  bride  to  Seriphos,  where  he  again  saw  his 
mother  and  Polydectes.  But  alas  ! he  was  here  compelled 
to  turn  the  petrifying  head  against  his  foster-father  and 
benefactor.  Polydectes,  fearing  him  and  his  mighty  arm, 
made  an  attempt  upon  his  life ; but  was  punished  for  his 
cowardly  suspicion  by  being  transformed  into  a rock. 
Dyetis  had  protected  his  mother  during  his  absence ; and 
Perseus,  sensible  of  his  merits  and  humanity,  placed  him 
upon  the  throne  of  Seriphos. 

He  afterwards  restored  to  Mercury  his  talaria,  harpe, 
and  wings;  to  Pluto  his  helmet;  and  to  Minerva  her 
shield  ; .but  as  he  was  more  particularly  indebted  to  the 
Goddess  of  Wisdom  for  her  assistance  and  protection,  he 
placed  the  Gorgon’s  head  on  her  iEgis. 

When  Perseus  heard  that  his  grandfather,  Acrisios, 
had  been  deprived  of  his  throne  by  his  brother  Proetos, 
far  from  seeking  revenge  for  the  cruelty  with  which  he 
and  his  mother  had  formerly  been  treated  by  Acrisios,  ho 


PERSEUS, 


210 


Magnanimously  hastened  to  Argolis  with  the  design  of  re- 
placing his  grandfather  in  possession  of  his  kingdom.  He 
vanquished  and  killed  Prcetos,  and  after  having  restored 
to  Acrisios  the  royal  crown,  he  was  recognized  by  him  with 
joy  and  gratitude  as  his  beloved  grandson,  his  friend  and 
, benefactor.  But  Fate,  who  trifles  with  the  hopes  of  mor- 
tals, had  not  recalled  her  former  threat, .and  a tragic  end 
was  lurking  beneath  the  seducing  appearance.  Perseus, 
knowing  how  much  Acrisios  was  delighted  with  his  skill  in 
every  bodily  exercise,  was  one  day  resolved  to  give  him  a 
splendid  proof  of  his  dexterity  ; but  alas ! the  fatal  quoit, 
as  if  directed  by  an  evil  daemon,  missing  its  aim,  struck  the 
head  of  Acrisios,  and  he  fell  lifeless  to  the  grouud. 

In  consequence  of  this  unfortunate  accident,  Perseus 
passed  his  future  days  in  melancholy  sadness,  calling  him- 
self a parricide  notwithstanding  his  innocence  of  the  fatal 
event.  His  residence  at  Argos  became  insupportable  to 
him,  and  therefore  he  induced  the  son  of  Prcetos  to  ex- 
change territories.  But  finding  nothing  at  Tyrius,  the 
capital'of  his  new  dominion,  to  obliterate  from  his  memory 
the  event  which  distracted  him,  he  built  the  new  city  of 
Mycenae. 

One  of  the  children  of  Perseus  and  Andromeda  was 
Alcaeus,  the  father  of  Amphitryon,  who  was  married  to  Alc- 
mena,  Electryon’s  daughter,  and  the  mother  of  Heracles. 
Another  son  of  Perseus,  whose  name  was  Sthenelos,  was  the 
father  of  Eurystheus,  who  ruled  over  Mycenae,  and  whom 
Heracles  was  compelled  to  serve. 

Perseus  himself,  as  well  as  the  chief  persons  connected 
with  his  history,  Andromeda,  Cassiopeia,  and  others,  were, 
according  to  fiction,  transposed  among  the  constellations 
of  the  sky,  where  their  names  are  immortalized.  In  this 
sense,  the  heroes  of  old  were  really  raised  to  heaven,  and 
a monument  most  durable  and  shining  was  erected  tc 
their  names. 


220 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


The  ancients  represent- 
ed the  Gorgons  as  winged, 

* and  with  a broad,  flat  face, 
and  a long  tongue  protrud- 
ing from  an  enormous 
mouth,  which  opened  from 
ear  to  ear.  Latter  artists 
banish  this  hideous  mask 
from  their  compositions, 
and  represent  Medusa  as 
the  unhappy  beauty  who 
attracted  the  love  of  Nep- 
tune, giving  her  a melan- 
choly air,  expressive  of  her 
regret  at  finding  serpents 
mingled  with  her  beautiful  locks.  But  few  serpents  are 
represented,  and  so  placed  as  to  destroy  all  deformity  ; 
sometimes  brought  under  the  chin,  and  again  forming 
a necklace.  The  wings,  gracefully  placed  upon  the  head, 
add  to  the  beauty  of  the  composition. 

BELLEROPHONTES  OR  BELLEROPHON. 

Bellerophon  was  a son  of  Glaucos  ; and  his  adventures 
form  a pleasing  episode  in  the  Iliad,  where  they  are  related 
to  Diomedes  by  Bellerophon’s  grandson. 

The  same  Proetus  by  whom  Acrisios  was  deprived  of  his 
kingdom,  and  who  was  at  last  vanquished  and  slain  by  Per- 
seus, urged  on  by  a false  suspicion,  gave  to  Bellerophontes 
the  first  occasion  for  his  heroic  feats.  He  was  a grandson 
of  Sisyphos,  the  founder  of  Corinth,  who  was  a descendant 
of  Deucalion,  and  the  son  of  iEolus,  from  whom  the  iEolic 
race  of  heroes  spread  through  many  royal  families  of 
Greece. 

Having  committed  a murder,  Bellerophon  was  forced  to 
flee  from  Corinth,  and  he  came  to  Proetus,  who  at  that 


BELLEROPHONTES  OR  BELLEROPHON.  221 


time  was  reigning  in  Argos,  with  whom  he  found  an  asy 
lum.  The  gods  had  endowed  the  hero  with  manly  vigor 
and  beauty  ; and  Antsea,  the  wife  of  Proetus,  a daughter 
of  Iobates,  king  of  Lycia,  conceived  a tender-affection  foi 
the  handsome  youth,  which  was  soon  changed  to  hatred 
because  it  found  no  return  on  the  part  of  Bellerophon. 
She  basely  accused  him  of  an  attempt  on  her  honor,  and 
enjoined  her  husband  to  avenge  both  her  and  himself. 
But  the  rites  of  hospitality  were  too  sacred  to  allow  of 
Proetus  killing  Bellerophon ; he  therefore  sent  him  to 
Iobates,  his  father-in-law,  with  a letter,  in  which  he  was  de- 
sired to  avenge  the  crime  of  which  the  bearer  was  accused, 
by  putting  him  to  death.  Iobates,  however,  did  not  read 
the  letter  until  he  had  hospitably  received  Bellerophon, 
after  which,  he  also  abhorred  the  thought  of  violating  the 
sacred  rites  of  hospitality.  He  therefore  trusted  to  chauce, 
to  effect  his  ruin,  bidding  him  embark  in  the  most  danger- 
ous enterprises,  in  which  his  destruction  seemed  inevitable. 

Of  the  monsters 
which  descended 
from  Phorcys  and 
fair  Ceto,  one,  the 
terrible  Gorgo, 
was  vanquished 
by  Perseus ; but 
another,  not  less 
formidable,  was 
assigned  to  Bel- 
lerophon as  a trial 
of  his  valor.  It 
was  the  fire  vom- 
iting Chimaera, 
with  the  head  of 
a lion,  the  body 
of  a goat,  and  the  tail  of  a dragon.  To  this  bold  adven 


222 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


ture  the.  gods  lent  their  assistance.  grJn ting  Bellerophon 
the  winged  horse  Pegasos.  The  hero  bestrode  him  and 
then  in  the  air  commenced  the  fight.  The  monster  defend- 
ed herself  to  the  utmost,  sending  from  her  mouth  whole 
masses  of  fire,  and  coiling  her  dragon  tail  in  formidable 
windings.  But  all  this  availed  her  not.  After  a perse- 
vering and  obstinate  struggle,  the  monster  lay  stretched  oil 
the  ground  weltering  in  her  blood. 

Not  enough  that  Bellerophontes  had  vanquished  Chimae- 
ra,  the  scourge  of  the  land ; he  must  now  conquer  the  hu- 
man enemies  of  Iobates,  the  courageous  Solymians,  and  the 
manlike  Amazons.  As  he  was  returning  victorious,  the 
king  laid  an  ambush  for  him  composed  of  the  bravest  men 
of  Lycia,  of  whom  Dot  one  returned  home,  as  Bellerophon- 
tes slew  them  all.  The  king,  now  perceiving  him  to  be  of 
divine  origin,  gave  him  his  daughter  in  marriage  and  shared 
his  kingdom  with  him. 

But  the  happiness  of  this  hero  was  of  short  duration  ; for 
when,  elated  by  his  victories,  he  attempted  by  means  of 
Pegasos  to  ascend  to  Heaven,  Zeus,  incensed  at  his  bold- 
ness, sent  an  insect  to  sting  the  steed,  which  made  Pegasos 
bound  so  furiously  in  the  air  as  to  throw  his  rider  to  the 
earth,  where  he  wandered  in  solitude  and  melancholy  until 
death  relieved  him  of  his  grief. 

HERACLES  OR  HERCULES. 

The  first  Greek  tragedian  (iEschylus)  introduces  Prome- 
theus when  chained -to  a rock,  complaining  of  his  sufferings 
to  the  equally  unfortunate  Io,  and  predicting  the  birth  of 
his  deliverer,  Heracles. 

Io,  transformed  into  a cow,  was  by  Juno’s  jealousy  driv- 
en in  frantic  fury  over  the  whole  earth.  She  wandered  tc 
the  solitary  corner  where  Prometheus  was  suffering,  who 
revealed  her  future  fate  as  well  as  his  own,  telling  Tier 
that  the  thirteenth  of  her  descendants  would  be  his  de< 


223 


HERACLES  OR  HERCULES. 


liverer.  The  thirteen  members  of  the  family  in  uninter  - 
rupted descent  are,  Io,  E paphos,  Libya,  Belos,  Danaos, 
Lynceus,  Atlas,  Acrisios,  Danae,  Perseus,  Alcaeus,  Alcme- 
na,’Heracles. 

The  sons  of  Perseus,  were  Efectryon,  Sthcnelos,  Alcaeus, 
and  Mestor,  of  whom  Electryon  succeeded  his  father  in  the 
government  of  Mycenae.  The  children  of  Alcaeus  were, 
Anaxo  and  Amphitryon.  Electryon  married  Anaxo,  and 
from  this  marriage  sprung  Alcmena,  the-  mother  of  Hera- 
cles. Amphitryon  lived  at  Election’s  court,  and  haa 
confident  hopes  of  becoming  his  uncle’s  successor  in  the 
government,  by  his  marriage  with  Alcmena ; in  which  he 
was  disappointed. 

Taphios,  a grandson  of -Mestor,  had  founded  a colony  on 
the  island  of  Taphos,  whose  inhabitants  called  themselves 
Taphians,  or,  from  their  living  at  a great  distance  from 
their  native  country,  Teleboans.  After  the  death  of  T?- 
phios,  Pterelaos,  his  son  and  successor,  claimed  a part  of 
the  inheritance  of  Mycenae,  on  account  of  his  descent  from 
Mestor,  a son  of  Perseus,  and  sent  his  children  thither  to 
enforce  his  claims.  Upon  Electryon’s  denying  the  justice 
of  them,  and  refusing  to  restore  any  thing  of  Perseus’  in- 
heritance, the  sons  of  Pterelaos,  with  their  people,  laid 
waste  the  country,  and  drove  away  the  royal  herds.  The 
sons  of  Electryon  immediately  collecting  a body  of  men, 
fought  a battle  with  the  invaders,  in  which  the  leaders  on 
both  sides  were  killed,  with  the  exception  of  one  son  of 
Electryon,  Lycimnius,  and  one  of  Pterelaos,  Eueres. 

Upon  this,  Electryon  resolved  on  going  in  person  against 
the  Teleboans,  to  avenge  the  death  of  his  children ; in  the 
mean  time  transferring  his  government  to  his  daughter 
Alcmena  and  his  nephew  Amphitryon,  with  the  promise 
that  they  should  be  united  in  marriage  as  soon  as  he  should 
return  victorious.  He  returned  conqueror,  bringing  back 
the  herds  of  which  he  had  been  deprived  by  his  enemies 


s 


224 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMA#  MYTHOLOGY. 


Amphitryon,  now  quite  secure  of  his  happiness,  went  joy- 
fully forth  to  meet  him  ; but  as  one  of  the  recovered  cows 
strayed  from  the  herd,  he,  with  the  intention  of  turning 
her  back,  threw  a club  at  her,  which  unfortunately  hit  Elec- 
tryon,  who  fell  lifeless  to  th«  ground. 

This  occurrence  blighted  his  hopes  of  one  day  becoming 
king  of  Mycenae,  for  though  the  act  was  unintentional,  it 
brought  upon  him  the  hatred  of  the  people,  and  Sthenelos. 
the  brother  of  the  slain  Electryon,  seized  upon  the  royal 
crown  of  Mycenae,  without  resistance,  and  Amphitryon  was 
compelled  to  flee  to  Thebes,  whither  Alcmena  followed  him. 
Creon,  who  was  at  that  time  king  of  Thebes,  took  them* 
under  his  protection.  Alcmena,  however,  refused  to  be- 
come Amphitryon’s  wife,  until  h$  had  avenged  the  death 
of  her  brothers.  Amphitryon  accordingly  entered  into  an 
alliance  with  Cephalos,  Eleus,  and  several  other  neighbor- 
princes,  for  the  purpose  of  waging  a new  war  against 
the  inhabitants  of  the  Taphian  islands.  Pterelaos  was  van- 
quished, and  Amphitryon  divided  the  conquered  islands 
among  his  allies  : the  one  of  which,  called  in  ancient  times 
Cephalene,  and  in  ours  Cephalonia,  received  its  name  from 
the  above-mentioned  Cephalos. 

Meanwhile,  however,  Alcmena’s  charms  having  attracted 
the  Thunderer,  he  assumed  the  form,,  of  Amphitryon  re- 
turning as  victor  from  his  expedition  and  came  down  from 
Olympos  to  see  her ; and  was  afterwards  obliged  to  reveal 
his  divinity  to  Amphitryon,  in  order  to  appease  his  anger 
against  Alcmena. 

On  the  day  in  which  Heracles  was  to  be  born,  Jupiter 
boastingly  spoke  in  the  assembly  of  the  gods,  “ I give  you 
to  understand,  all  ye  gods  and  goddesses,  that  to-day  a hero 
will  be  born,  of  a race  of  men  who  derive  their  origin  from 
me,  who  is  destined  to  reign  over  all  his  neighbors.” 
Brooding  artifices,  the  cunning  Juno  replied,  I shall, 
nevertheless,  very  much  doubt  the  accomplishment  of  thy 


HERACLES  OR  HERCULES. 


225 


words,  unless  thou  swear  with  the  inviolable  oath  of  the 
gods,  that  he,  who  to  day  shall  be  born  of  the  race  of  men 
that  derive  their  origin  from  thee,  will  indeed  reign  over 
all  his  neighbors.”  Scarcely  had  Jupiter  uttered  the  fatal 
oath,  ere  Juno  left  Olympos,  and  hastening  to  Argos,  for- 
warded the  birth  of  Eurystheus,  and  retarded  that  of  Her- 
acles ; then,  returning  to  Olympos,  she  thus  triumphantly 
accosted  Jupiter,  c;  The  hero  who  will  rule  over  the  Argives 
is  already  born  ; he  is  descended  from  the  race  of  men  that 
sprang  forth  from  thee  ; for  he  is  Eurystheus,  a son  of  Sthe- 
nelos,  whose  father  Perseus  was  thine  offspring  ; the  pro 
mised  kingdom,  therefore,  is  fallen  to  the  lot  of  no  un- 
worthy one.”  (II.  xix.  101.) 

The  luckless  father  of  the  gods,  not  able  to  recall  his 
oath,  nor  to  avenge  himself  against  the  wily  Juno,  burst 
out  in  unspeakable  wrath,  and  seizing  the  bright  hand  of 
Ate,  the  evil  breeding  power,  who  was  his  own  daughter, 
and  until  now  a member  of  the  divine  assembly,  he  hurled 
her  from  heaven  to  earth,  swearing  with  a great  oath,  that 
she  should  never  return  to  Olympos.  Since  that  time, 
Ate  hovers  over  the  heads  of  mortal  men,  every  where 
sowing  dissensions,  broils,  and  ruin. 

Alcmena  became  the  mother  of  two* sons;  Hercules, 
whose  father  was  J upiter,  and  Iphicles,  the  sou  of  her  hus- 
band Amphitryon*  Which  of  these  was  the  son  of  the 
Thunderer  soon  became  evident.  While  the  two  children 
were  cradled  in  a hollow  buckler  (a  part  of  the  booty  which 
Amphitryon  had  taken  in  the  war  against  Ptereiaos),  Juno 
sent  two  serpents  to  destroy  Hercules ; but  the  divine 
babe  stifled  them  with  his  infant  hands.  Jupiter  then 
recognized  his  son;  and  finding  Juno  sleeping,  laid  Her- 
cules by  her  side,  who  by  this  means  obtained  the  divine 
milk  without  her  consent.  When  Juno  awoke,  she  flung 
far  away  from  her  the  bold  suckling,  sprinkling  upon  the 
vault  of  the  sky  the  milk  that  fell  from  her  breast,  the 
10* 


226 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN*'  MYTHOLOGY. 


marks  of  which  formed  the  galaxy  or  milky  way,  on  which 
the  gods  walk.  Fiction  here  becomes  Colossean,  and  the 
atmosphere  through  which  the  stars  shine,  appears  therein 
as  J uno’s  chief  archetype. 

At  the  command  of  Jupiter,  Mercury  committed  Her- 
cules to  his  tutors,  who  were  to  instruct  him  in  warLka 
occupations,,  as  well  as  in  peaceful  arts.  Several  of  them 
were  themselves  sons  of  deities  ; — Linus,  the  son  of  Apollo, 
taught  him  to  play  on  the  lyre,  and  Eumolpoa  to  singj 


HERACLES  OR  HERCULES. 


227 


Castor  taught  him  how  to  fight ; Eurytos  how  to  shoot 
with  a bow  and  a/rows  ; Autolicus  to  drive  a chariot ; and 
like  the  rest  of  his  illustrious  contemporaries,  he  became 
the  pupil  of  the  wise  Centaur,  Cheiron,  and  under  him, 
perfected  his  accomplishments,  and  made  himself  the  most 
valiant  of  the  age. 

•When  in  pursuit  of  these  occupations,  Hercules  one  day 
betook  himself  to  a lonely  spot,  to  muse  undisturbed  on 
his  future  life  and  fate ; and  seating  himself  on  a cross- 
way he  sank  into  deep  reflection.  On  this  occasion  two 
females  appeared  to  him,  the  one  of  whom  was  Luxury  and 
the  other  Virtue.  Each  endeavored  to  win  the  youth  to 
her  interest.  Luxury,  by  promising  him  all  the  enjoy- 
ment of  a cheerful,  careless  life,  if  he  would  follow  her; 
.Virtue,  by  announcing  to  him  troublesome  and  laborious 
days,  but  afterwards  glory  and  immortality,  if  he  would 
choose  her  for  his  guide  in  the  path  of  life.  “ Thee  will  I 
follow.;  to  thee  devote  my  life,”  exclaimed  the  youah,  with 
glowing  heart,  grasping  at  the  same  time,  the  hand  of  Vir- 
tue ; and  followed  her  with  firm  step,  resolved^  to  endure 
patiently  every  trial  that  awaited  him,  to  bear  every  bur- 
den that  should  fall  to  his  lot,  and  to  shun  no  labor  that 
should  be  appointed  him,  however  difficult  the  task  might 
be. 

Two  of  the  most  terrible  children  of  Phorcys  and  Ceto 
were  vanquished  by  Perseus  and  Bellerophon,  but  the 
greatest  feats  of  valor,  as  well  as  merit,  are  reserved  for 
Hercules,  who  is  to  conquer  monsters,  to  subdue  'tyrants, 
and  to  set  bounds  to  the  injustice  of  the  Thunderer  him- 
self, by  delivering  Prometheus  from  his  torments,  who  was 
still  suffering  for  the  benefits  which  he  had  conferred  upon 
mankind.  The  fate  of  Hercules  was'woven  in  the  com- 
mencement of  his  life’s  thread  by  the  inexorable  Parcae. 
Born  to  be  a ruler,  he  was  forced  by  the  power  xof  the 
Fates  to  obey,  and  to  achieve  his  most  glorious  actions  at 


228 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


the  command  of  one,  who  was  in  every  respect  his  infe- 
rior, and  who  dreaded  jbhe  strength  with  ^Thieh  he  was  en- 
dowed. 

He  was  not  permitted  to  live  long  in  quiet  at  the  house 
of  his  foster-father,  Amphitryon;  for  jealous  Juno  had 
infused  into  the  heart  of  the  latteT  dread,  and  suspicion 
against  the  young  hero.  Heracles  was  therefore  sent  by 
him  to  the  qourt  of  Eurystheus,  at  Mycenae,  where  from 
time  to  time  he  was  charged  with  the  most  difficult  labors, 
and  the  most  dangerous  undertakings,  which  put  his  cour- 
age and  firmness  to  the  severest  test.  On  his  journey  to 
Mycenae,  he  inquired  of  the  oracle  at  Delphi  concerning 
his  future  fate  : and  received  for  answer,  that  twelve  labors 
awaited  him  at  the  court  of  Eurystheus,  after  the  perform- 
ance of  which,  immortality  should  be  his  reward.  For 
these  undertakings  the  favors  of  the  gods  had  completely 
armed  him.  From  Minerva,  he  received  a coat  of  arms 
and  a helmet;  from  Mercury  a sword;  from  Neptune  a 
horse;  from  Jupiter  a shield;  from  Apollo  a bow  and  ar- 
rows ; and  from  Yulcan,  a golden  cuirass  and  a brazen 
buskin. 

Eurystheus,  seeing  so  powerful  a man  completely  sub- 
jected to  him,  and  apprehensive  of  such  an  enemy,  com- 
manded him  to  achieve  the  most  difficult  and  arduous 
enterprises  ever  known  ; generally  called, 

THE  TWELVE  LABORS  OF  HERCULES. 

ls|.  The  Nemcean  Lion. — A monstrous  lion,  near  the 
forest  of  Nemgea,  wasted  the  surrounding  country  and 
threatened  destruction  to  the  herds.  His  first  labor  was 
to  destroy  this  beast  of  prey,  which  he  did  by  throwing 
his  sinewy  arms  around  his  neck  and  strangling  him.  In 
memory  of  this  deed  of  valor,  he  ever  afterwards  wore  the 
lion  skin,  which,  with  the  knotty  branch  of  the  wild  olive 
tree,  was  the  external  mark  of  his  strength  aud  courage. 


HERACLES  OR  HERCULES. 


229 


2d.  The  Lerncean  Hydra. — The  morasses  of  Lerna,  near 
Argos,  was  the  abode  of  the  Hydra  with  many  heads. 
Hercules  attacked  the  monster  with  his  sickle-shaped 
sword,  but  no  sooner  severed  one  head  from  the  trunk  than 
a new  one  grew  out.  At  last,  he  commanded  his  compan- 
ion, Iolaus,  the  son  of  Iphicles,  to  burn  the  root  of  the  head 
with  a hot  iron  before  a new  one  could  spring  up.  This 
was  no  sooner  accomplished,  than  Juno  sent  a crab  to 
gnaw  at  the  heels  of  Hercules  while  he  was  struggling  with 
the  monster.  The  hero  soon  dispatched  his  new  enemy, 
and  after  a long  fight,  drove  the  last  head  of  the  Hydra 
into  the  ground,  and  covered  it  with  an  immense  stone. 
As  a reward  for  his  labor,  he  dipped  his  arrows  into  the 
blood  of  the  Hydra,  which,  by  this  fatal  poison,  became 
doubly  dreadful. 

3d  The  Erymanthian  Boar. — From  the  Erymanthian 
mountains,  a monstrous  boar  descended,  laying  waste  the 
fields  of  Arcadia.  This  afforded  Eurystheus  a wished  for 
occasion  to  send  Hercules  on  a new  and  dangerous  expedi- 
tion. To  the  conqueror  of  the  Nemsean  Lion  and  the 
many-headed  Hydra,  however,  it  was  no  difficult  task  to 
catch  the  boar  alive  and  carry  him  to  Eurystheus,  who,  ter- 
rified at  the  sight  of  the  monster,  concealed  himself  in  a 
brazen  butt. 

4th.  The  Stag  of  Diana. — In  order  to  put  to  the  proof 
the  swiftness  and  agility  of  Hercules,  he  was  in  his  fourth 
labor  ordered  to  bring  alive  and  unhurt  into  the  presence 
of  Eurystheus,  the  stag  of  Diana,  famous  for  its  swiftness, 
its  golden  horns,  and  brazen  feet. 

Hercules,  accepting  the  task,  pursued  the  tracks  of  this 
nimble  animal  during  a whole  year,  and  at  last  caught  him 
in  a thicket,  and  carried  him  on  his  shoulders  to  the  gates 
of  Mycenae.  This  celebrated  stag  frequented  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Oenoe,  and  as  Hercules  was  returning  victori- 
ous, he  met  Diana,  who  snatched  the  stag  from  him  with  a 


230 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


severe  reprimand  for  molesting  an  animal  sacred  to  her. 
He  pleaded  necessity,  and  by  representing  the  commands 
of  Eurysthcus,  he  appeased  the  goddess,  and  obtained  the 
stag. 

5th.  The  Slymphalides. — A kind  of  ghastly  birds  inhabit- 
ed the  Stymphalian  lake,  to  which  the  imagination  of  the 
poets  ascribes  the  most  frightful  aspect.  They  were  repre- 
sented as  furnished  with  claws  and  bills  of  brass,  enabling 
them  to  pierce  any  armor,  and  according  to  several  fic- 
tions, were  armed  with  darts,  which  they  flung  at  their  ag- 
gressors. 

These  monsters,  which  Eurystheus  commanded  Hercules 
to  destroy,  had  taken  up  their  abode  in  the  deep  recesses  of 
an  inaccessible  morass.  And  here  the  divine  hero  would 
have  been  at  a loss,  notwithstanding  his  strength  and  cour- 
age, but  for  the  aid  of  Minerva,  who  wished  him  success, 
and  gave  him  a rattle  of  brass,  the  noise  of  which  fright- 
ened the  birds  from  their  haunts,  driving  them  into  the  air, 
where  Hercules  easily  dispatched  them  wi  th  his  arrows. 

6th  Augias ’ Stables. — Augias,  a king  in  Elis,  and  called 
a child  of  the  sun,  from  the  immense  number  of  flocks  and 
herds  which  he  possessed,  was  one  of  the  wealthiest  princes 
of  his  time.  In  those  ages,  a man’s  wealth  was  estimated 
in  proportion  to  the  abundance  of  his  cattle  ; and  the  occu- 
pations required  by  possessions  of  this  kind  wera  not  de- 
grading ; neither  was  it  considered  disgraceful  to  clean  a 
stable. 

According  to  the  tale  of  antiquity,  Augias  had  three 
ihousand  oxen  in  his  stables,  which  had  not  been  cleansed 
for  thirty  years,  so  that  at  last  it  seemed  an  impossibility 
to  clear  them  of  the  prodigious  accuniulation.  But  Hercu- 
les, at  the  command  of  Eurystheus,  undertook  the  enor- 
mous task,  which  was  to  be  accomplished  in  the  space  of 
a few  days.  Augias,  who  doubted  the  possibility  of  the 


HERACLES  OR  HER  ' TILES. 


231 


performance,  promised  Hercules,  as  a reward,  the  tenth 
part  of  his  herds. 

By  turning  the  course  of  the  river  Alpheus  through  the 
stables,  Hercules  completed  the  task  in  one  day.  After 
the  work  was  done,  Augias  withheld  the  promised  reward, 
on  the  pretext  that  Hercules  had  made  use  of  artifice  ; 
and  the  son  of  Alcmena,  enraged  at  this  faithlessness, 
made  war  upon  him,  and  having  conquered  and  killed  him, 
proclaimed  his  son  Phyleus  his  successor  upon  the  throne. 

Out  of  the  treasures  which  he  gained  in  this  war,  he 
built  a temple  in  honor  of  Olympian  Jupiter,  and  renewed 
the  Ol/mpic  games. 

7th.  The  Cretan  Bull. — Neptune,  being  angry  at  the  in- 
habitants of  Crete,  because  they  were  deficient  in  their 
veneration  for  him.  sent  into  the  island  a furious  bull, 
which  exhaled  fire  from  his  nostrils,  and  as  no  one  would 
venture  to  approach  him,  laid  waste  the  country. 

Scarcely  had  Eurystheus  heard  of  this,  ere  he  imposed 
on  Hercules  the  new  task  of  catching  the  beast  alive. 
Hercules,  whose  bodily  strength  measured  itself  as  it  were 
with  the  wrhole  animal  world,  subdued  the  bull  sent  by 
Neptune,  and  carried  him  on  his  shoulders  to  Mycenae. 

8th.  The  Horses  of  Diomedes. — Diornedes,  a king  of 
Thrace,  and  son  of  Mars,  had  in  hi  a possession  four  fire- 
vomiting horses,  which  were  fed  by  him  with  human  flesh. 
All  strangers  who  fell  into  the  hands  of  this  barbarian, 
were  thrown  to  his  horses  to  be  torn  and  devoured. 

The  report  of  this  cruelty  having  spread  every  where,  Eu- 
rystheus commanded  Hercules  to  bring  to  him  the  fire- 
vomiting  steeds.  The  hero  obeyed,  overpowered  Diome- 
des, and  by  throwing  him  to  the  carnivorous  beasts,  made 
him  suffer  the  just  punishment  of  his  cruelty. 

9th.  The  Girdle  of  the  Queen  of  the  Amazons. — The  pre- 
vious girdle  worn  by  the  queen  of  the  Amazons,  and  which 
Hercules  was  to  win,  was  a present  from  the  god  of  war. 


232 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


and  defended  as  it  was  by  fortitude  and  bravery,  it  could 
only  be  obtained  by  invincible  courage. 

In  this  expedition,  Hercules  was  accompanied  by  These- 
us, and  at  the  river  Thermodon  the  fight  commenced,  in 
which  the  Amazons  with  their  allies  were  vanquished, 
and  the  queen  herself  taken  prisoner.  Hercules,  after 
having  on  his  way  accomplished  several  other  bold  feats, 
returned  to  Mycenae,  and  presented  the  girdle  to  Eurys- 
theus. 

10th.  The  Triple-bodied  Gcryon. — Geryon,  the  savage 
monarch  of  three  islands,  situated  in  the  dusky  west  of 
the  ancient  world,  has  already  been  mentioned  in  the  pedi 
gree  of  the  monsters. 

He  was  in  possession  of  what,  in  times  of  antiquity,  was 
considered  the  greatest  treasure  ; and  the  fame  of  Geryon’s 
oxen  had  spread  so  far,  as  to  induce  Eurystheus  to  impose 
upon  Hercules  the  commission  of  leading  them  away  from 
their  pastures,  and  bringing  them  as  a warlike  treasure 
from  the  remotest  bounds  of  the  earth  to  Mycenae. 

Hercules  made  his  way  over  mountains  and  rocks,  per- 
forming on  this  expedition  many  other  great  exploits. 
After  having  overcome  the  two-headed  dog,  which  guarded 
the  herds,  as  well  as  Eurytion  the  herdsman,  he  took  pos- 
session of  Geryon’s  oxen.  The  triple-bodied  monster  then 
rushed  upon  him,  but  was  killed  by  Hercules  with  his  club. 

lltb.  The  Golden  Apples  of  the  Hesperides. — The  great- 
est treasure  which  imagination  transferred  to  the  widest 
distance,  and  which  was  thought  to  be  altogether  unattain- 
able, was  the  golden  apples  in  the  gardens  of  the  Hesperi- 
des. These  gardens  were  watched  by  a monstrous  dragon, 
and  to  bring  the  golden  fruit  to  Eurystheus,  was  one  of 
the  tasks  which  Hercules  was  to  accomplish  in  obedience 
to  the  command  of  another. 

The  hero,  ignorant  of  the  situation  of  these  celebrated 
gardens,  applied  to  the  nymphs  in  the  neighborhood  of 


HERACLES  01?  HERCULES. 


233 


the  Po  for  information  ; and  was  told,  that  Nereus,  if  pro- 
perly ^managed,  would  direct  him  in  the  pursuit.  IJercules 
seized  Nereus  as  he  was  sleeping,  and  the  sea-god,  unable 
to  escape  from  his  grasp,  answered  all  the  questions  that 
he  proposed. 

After  reaching  the  gardens,  Hercules  gave  the  dragon  a 
potion  which  threw  him  into  a deep  sleep ; he  then  suc- 
ceeded in  killing  him,  gathered  the  apples,  and  returned 
in  triumph  to  Eurystheus.  They  were  afterwards  carried 
back  to  the  gardens  by  Minerva,  as  they  could  be  preserved 
in  no  other  place.  "" 

12th.  Cerberus , the  Watch-dog  of  Orcus. — Hercules  had 
now  given  eleven  proofs  of  the  strength  and  agility  of 
his  body,  as  well  as  the  greatness  of  his  soul ; the  last  onlj 
remained.  He  had  not  done  enough  in  conquering  the 
monsters  of  the  higher  world— Eurystheus  also  commanded 
him  to  descend  into  the  world  of  shades,  and  drag  to  the 
light  of  day  the  triple-headed  dog  Cerberus,  that  watched 
the  gates  of  Pluto. 

Before  Hercules  went  on  his  way  to  the  lower  world,  he 
was  initiated  in  the  Eleusinian  mysteries,  to  be  as  it  were 
prepared  for  any  event,  whether  life  or  death  : he  then 
boldly  entered  the  cavern  at  the  Promontory  of  Taenarus, 
which  led  to  the  abode  of  the  shades.  He  compelled  Cha- 
ron to  row  him  across  the  Styx,  and  when  reaching  the 
opposite  shore,  he  first  beheld  the  three-headed  dog  Cerbe- 
rus. and  then,  chained  to  a rock,  two  well-known  heroes, 
Theseus  and  Pirithoos.  who  had  ventured  to  descend  into 
Orcus,  with  the  intention  of  delivering  Proserpine,  the 
Queen  of  the  dead,  from  Pluto’s  dominions.  They  were 
overpowered,  fastened  to  an  enchanted  rock,  and  doomed 
never  again  to  see  the  light  of  the  sun. 

Hercules  fought  with  Pluto  himself;  seized  upon  the 
triple-headed  watch-dog  of  his  dominions,  loosened  The- 
seus’ bonds,  and  hastened  out  of  the  land  of  terrors.  He 


234 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


had  also  endeavored  to  free  Pirithops  from  his  fetters,  but 
in  vain,  for  Pluto  defended  his  prey  with  his  whole  power. 

Hercules  brought  Cerberus  in  triumph  to  the  upper 
world.  The  terrified  Eurysthcus  could  not  bear  the  sight 
of  the  monster,  and  Hercules,  after  having  kept  him  tamed 
between  his  knees,  delivered  him  from  the  pain  of  behold- 
ing the  light  of  day,  and  the  black  monster  slunk  back 
to  the  lower  world  to  resume  his  watch  at  its  gates. 

These  are  the  proofs  which  Hercules  gave  of  his  strength, 
his  perseverance,  invincible  courage,  and  patient  submission 
to  the  decrees  of  Fate,  in  performing  the  most  difficult 
tasks  at  the  command  of  an  inferior.  But  besides  these 


HERACLES  OR  HERCULES. 


235 


labors  imposed  upon  him  by  Eurystheus,  he  voluntarily 
achieved  other  deeds  of  valor,  not  less  glorious,  equally 
celebrated,  and  perhaps  of  higher  merit. 

He  rescued  Hesione,  who  was  chained  to  a rock  to  be 
devoured  by  a sea-monster  ; he  killed  the  giant  Antseos, 
who  forced  all  strangers  to  wrestle  with  him  who  came 
within  his  reach  ; he  slew  Busiris,  a cruel  king  of  Egypt, 
who  sacrificed  ail  foreigners  to  Jupiter  * he  destroyed  Ca- 
cus,  a famous  robber,  who  was  represented  as  a three- 
headed monster,  vomiting  flames  ; he  delivered  Alceste 
from  Orcus ; he  slew  the  vulture  that  gnawed  at  the  liver 
of  Prometheus  ; and  erected  the  pillars  at  the  straits  be- 
tween Europe  and  Africa. 

Hercules’  first-marriage  was  with  Megara,  the  daughter  of 
Creon,  prince  of  Thebes,  who  was  given  to  him  by  her 
father  out  of  gratitude  for  having  freed  the  city  from  a 
burdensome  tribute,  which  had  been  exacted  by  the  Or- 
chomenians.  After  Megara  had  presented  him  wi*h  four 
sons,  he  is  said  to  have  been  driven  distracted  by  Juno, 
and  in  a fit  of  frenzy  to  have  slain  both  mother  and  chil- 
dren. In  their  memory  obsequies  were  annually  celebrated 
at  Thebes. 

In  order  to  expiate  this  horrible  deed,  although  it  was 
not  perpetrated  with  design,  Heracles  the  more  ~eadily 
submitted  to  the  labors  imposed  upon  him  by  Eurystneus ; 
but  wben.hV  had  nearly  completed  his  tasks,  he  was  en- 
chained by  a new  love,  and  married  again,  notwithstanding 
the  tragical  end  of  his  first  nuptials. 

Upon  one  of  his  expeditions  he  came  to  king  CEneus, 
at  Calydon,  in  .ZEtolia,  where  he  saw  the  beautiful  Deia- 
neira,  the  royal  daughter,  who  was  the  affianced  bride  pf 
the  river-god,  Acheloos.  Hercules  engaged  in  battle  with 
him,  and  Deianeira  was  the  prize  of  his  victory.  The  hero 


236 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


then  proceeded  on  his  way,  accompanied  by  his  wife. 
When  they  arrived  at  the  river  Euenus,  on  the  banks  of 
which  Nessos,  the  Centaur,  had  his  dwelling,  Heracles 
committed  to  him  the  charge  of  carrying  Deianeira  on 
his  back  through  the  river.  The  Centaur  complied  the 
more  willingly  with  the  request  of  one  in  whose  mouth  a re- 
quest  amounted  to  a command,  because  he  harbored  the 
secret  intention  of  depriving  Heracles  of  his  wife.  Ac- 
cordingly, when  he  reached  the  other  bank  of  the  river 
with  his  fair  burden,  he  galloped  off ; but  hearing  Deianei- 
ra’s  cries  for  assistance,  Heracles  bent  his  bow,  and  sent 
through  the  faithless  Centaur  one  of  those  arrows  which 
had  been  dipped  in  the  poisonous  blood  of  the  Lernaean 
Hydra.  Nessos,  brooding  revenge  at  the  very  moment  of 
his  death,  handed  to  Deianeira  a flask  filled  with  his  blood, 
beseeching  her  to  keep  it  as  a precious  gift,  by  means  of 
which  she  could  secure  to  herself  the  attachment  of  her 
husband,  as  well  as  banish  every  other  love  from  his  breast, 
by  rubbing  the  blood  on  the  garment  which  he  wore  next 
his  bo(fyT. 

Before  his  marriage  with  Deianeira,  Heracles  had  seen 
lole,  the  daughter  of  king  Eurytos,  who  reigned  over 
(Echalia,  in  Euboea,  and  was  conquered  by  her  charms.  He 
sued  for  her  hand  from  her  father,  but  met  with  a refusal, 
at  which  he  was  angry,  and  left  the  house  of  his  host  medi- 
tating revenge.  And  soon  after,  when  Iphitos,  the  son  of 
Eurytos,  came  to  Heracles  in  quest  of  his  strayed  horses, 
which  the  hero  himself  kept  concealed,  Heracles  conducted 
the  son  of  his  host  to  the  rocky  walls  of  Tyrins,  and  sud- 
denly pitched  him  from  the  steep  height. 

By  this  deed  he  stained  his  glory,  and  was,  by  the 
command  of  the  gods,  compelled  to  atone  for  it  in  a hu- 
miliating manner.  He  must  suffer  himself  to  be  sold  a 3 
a slave  to  the  voluptuous  queen  Omphale,  in  Lydia,  at 
whose  command  he  was  obliged  to  do  female  work. 


HERACLES  OR  HERCULES. 


237 


Plastic  art  represents  Omphale  wearing  the  skin  of  the 
Nema>an  lion  round  her  shoulders,  and  holding  the  club 
in  her  hand,  while  Heracles  is  seen  in  a female  dress,  sit- 
ting at  the  distaff  and  spinning.  The  hero,  who  had  al 
ready  completed  his  heroic  course,  must  nevertheless  be- 
come sensible  of  the  lot  of  mortals,  before  he  could  take 
his  seat  in  the  assembly  of  the  celestials,  sinking  down 
from  his  greatness  in  proportion  to  the  height  of  his  former 
elevation.  * 

The  fixed  period  of  his  servitude  in  Lydia  having  ex- 
pired, Heracles  made  war  upon  Eurytos,  because  of  his 
having  refused  him  his  daughter  ; and  carrying  the  city 
(Echalia  by  assault,  he  destroyed  it,  slew  the  king  him- 
self, and  sent  his  daughter  Iole  as  a slave  to  Deianeira,  by 
whom  she  was  received  with  kindness. 

Understanding,  however,  that  this  very  captive  was  her 
rival,  she  thought  it  was  time  to  make  use  of  the  gift  of 
Nessos.  Accordingly,  she  took  the  long-preserved  blood 
of  the  Centaur,  and  having  rubbed  with  it  a splendid  tunic, 
she  sent  it  to  her  husband  by  her  servant  Liclras,  with 
the  request  not  to  wear  the  garment  until  he  should  have 
occasion  to  show  himself  finely  dressed  to  the  immortals 
at  a sacred  festival. 

Heracles  had  long  since  received  the  oracle,  that  his 
death  was  not  to  be  apprehended  from  a living  being,  but 
from  a dead  one.  The  fulfilment  of  this  prediction  was 
now  drawing  nigh. 

After  his  victory  over  Eurytos,  Heracles  erected  an  altar 
to  Jupiter  upon  the  promontory  of  Censeum,  in  Euboea,  and 
was  about  to  kill  the  victims,  when  Lichas  appeared,  bring- 
ing with  him  Deianeira’s  present.  The  hero  was  the  more 
rejoiced  at  the  gift,  because  it  arrived  at  so  seasonable  a 
time.  Instantly  arraying  himself  in  the  costly  attire,  he 
presented  a hecatomb  to  the  immortals,  and  made  the 
flames  blaze  from  the  altars  to  the  sky.  Suddenly  his 


238  GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 

newly-received  tunic  adhered  to  his  body  as  if  glued  to  it, 
and.  convulsions  seized  all  his  limbs.  It  was  the  poison  of 
the  Hydra,  mingled  with  the  blood  of  Nessos,  which  pen- 
etrated his  body,  and  was  now  consuming  the  very  marrow 
of  his  bones. 

Suffering  unspeakable  pain,  he  called  the  unfortunate 
Lichas,  who  had  brought  him  the  garment,  and  hurled  him 
against  a rock  with  such  force  that  his  skull  and  bones 
were  crushed  to  pieces.  In  the*  midst  of  his^ortures  the 
hero  was  carried  to  the  city  of  Trachinia,  in  Thessaly. 
The  unhappy  Deianeira  no  sooner  heard  of  the  dreadful 
effect  of  her  present  than  she  put  an  end  to  her  life. 

Hyllos,  the  son  of  Heracles  and  Deianeira,  assisting  his 
father  in  his  torments,  at  his  command  carried  him  to 
Mount  CEta,  where  Heracles  resolved  to  put  an  end  to  his 
sufferings  by  a voluntary  death.  On  Mount  (Eta  a pile 
of  wood  was  erected  and  kindled  ; it  was  the  funeral  pile  of 
Heracles.  After  having  recommended  to  his  son  Hyllos 
his  muchdoved  Iole,  and  given  to  Philoctetes,  the  son  of 
Poeas,  and  his  faithful  companion,  his  bow  and  arrows  as 
an  inheritance,  the  hero  ascended  his  fatal  death-bed. 

There,  surrounded  by  the  blazing  flames,  his  face  became 
resplendent.  Heracles  had  finished  the  sufferings  of  hu- 
manity, and  atoned  for  her  foibles  ;.  his  mortal  covering, 
subject  to  pains  and  distress,  fell  off ; his  shade  went  down 
to  Orcus,  but  he  himself  rose  to  Olympos,  and  was  received 
into  the  assembly  of  the  immortals.  Juno  was  reconciled, 
and  Hebe,  the  goddess  of  eternal  youth,  became,  according 
to  the  decree  of  Fate,  the  spouse  of  the  new  deity. 

Heracles,  according  to  the  theory  of  Dupuis  and  others, 
is  the  Sun,  and  his  twelve  labors  are  a figurative  repre- 
sentation of  the  annual  course  of  that  luminary  through 
the  signs  of  the  zodiac.  He  is  the  powerful  planet  which 
animates  and  imparts  fecundity  to  the  universe ; whose 


HERACLES  OR  HERCULES. 


239 


divinity  has  been  honored  in  every  quarter  of  the  globsf,  by 
temples  and  altars,  and  consecrated  in  the  religious  theories 
of  all  nations. 

To  illustrate  the  fable  of  his  labors  (altering  the  order 
in  which  they  are  usually  given),  let  us  suppose  the  sun  to 
commence  his  annual  course  at  the  summer  solstice,  which 
was  indeed  considered  as  the  opening  of  the  year,  by  dif 
ferent  ancient  nations. 

In  the  first  month  the  sun  passes  into  the  sign  Leo 
The  first  labor  of  Hercules  was  the  slaying  of  the  Nemsean 
lion.  In  the  second  month  the  sun  enters  Hydra.  The 
second  labor  of  Hercules  was  the  killing  of  the  Hydra,  oi 
dragon  of  many  heads.  The  constellation  Hydra  is  pecu 
liar  for  its  length.  It§  head  rises  with  Cancer  ; its  bodj 
. extends  under  the  sign  Leo,  and  only  ends  at  the  latei 
degrees  of  the  sign  Virgo.  Hence  the  fable  of  the’  con 
tinual  re-appearance  of  the'  heads  of  the  monster  whoa 
Hercules  slew.  In  the  third  month  the  sun  enters  th  * 
sign  Libra,  when  the  constellation  of  Centaur  ris'es,  repr*  - 
sented  as  bearing  a wine-skin  full  of  liquor,,  and  a thyrsus 
adorned  with  vine-leaves  and  grapes.  Bayer  represents 
him  with  a thyrsus  in  one  hand,  and  a flask  of  wine  in  the 
other ; and  the  Alphonsine  tables,  with  a goblet  in  his 
hand.  At  this  same  period,  what,  by  some,  is  termed 
the  constellation  of  the  Boar  rises.  In  his  third  labor, 
Hercules,  after  being  hospitably  entertained  by  a Centaur, 
encountered  and  slew  the  other  Centaurs,  who  fouyht  for 
a cask  of  wine.  He  slew  also  the  Erymanthian  Be  ax.  In 
the  fourth  month  the  sun  enters  Scorpio,  when  Cassiopeia 
rises,  who  was  represented,  anciently,  by  a stag  In  his 
fourth  labor,  Hercules  caught  the  famous  stag  w h golden 
horns  and  brazen  feet,  and  breathing  fire  from  i'  l nostrils  ; 
aptly  representing  a constellation  studded  with  blazing 
stars,  and  which  unites  itself  with  the  solstitial  fires  of  the 
sun.  In  the  fifth  month,  the  sun  enters  Sagittarius  (the 


240 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY 


archer),  when  also  appear  the  constellations  of  the  vulture, 
swan,  and  eagle.  In  his  fifth  labor,  Hercules  destroyed, 
with  arrows,  the  three  birds  near  the  lake  Stymphalus.  In 
the  sixth  month,  the  sun  enters  Capricornus,  said  to  be  a 
grandson  of  the  luminary.  At  this  period,  the  stream 
which  flows  from  Aquarius  sets.  Its  source  is  between 
the  hands  of  Aristseus,  son  of  the  river  Peneus.  In  his 
sixth  labor,  Hercules  cleansed,  by  means  of  the  river  Pe- 
neus, the  stables  of  Augias,  son  of  Phoebus.  In  the  sev- 
enth month,  the  sun  enters  the  sign  Aquarius ; the  con- 
stellation of  the  Lyre,  or  Vulture,  sets,  which  is  by  the 
side  of  the  constellation  Prometheus ; and  the  celestial 
bull,  the  bull  of  Pasiphae,  or  of  Marathon,  or  of  Europa, 
passes  the  meridian.  In  his  seventh  labor.  Hercules 
brought  alive,  into  the  Peloponnesus,  a wild  bull  which 
laid  waste  the  island  of  Crete.  He  also  slew  the  vulture 
which  preyed  upon  the  liver  of  Prometheus.  It  should  be 
observed  that  the  constellation  of  the  Vulture  sets,  and 
that  the*  Vulture  was  killed;  that  the  constellation  of  the 
bull  crosses  the  meridian  merely,  and  that  Hercules  brought 
bis  bull  to  Greece  alive.  In  the  eighth  month,  the  sun 
enters  Pisces,  and  the  celestial  horse  Pegasus,  or  Arion, 
rises.  Hercules,  in  his  eighth  labor,  overcame  and  carried 
off  the  horses  of  Hiomedes.  In  the  ninth  month  the  sun 
enters  the  sign  Aries  (sacred  to  Mars),  the  same  with  the 
ram  of  the  golden  fleece  ; the  celestial  ship  Argo  rises  ; 
Cassiopeia  and  Andromeda  set ; Andromeda  is  remarkable 
for  its  many  beautiful  stars,  one  of  which  is  called  her  gir- 
dle. In  his  ninth  labor,  Hercules  embarked  on  board  the 
Argo  in  quest  of  the  golden  fleece  ; contended  with  female 
warriors,  and  took  from  their  queen,  Hippolyta,  the  daugff 
tef  of  Mars,  a famous  girdle.  In  the  tenth  month,  the 
sun  enters  Taurus  : the  constellation  Orion,  fabled  to  have 
pursued  the  Pleiades,  daughters  of  Atlas  ; the  conductor 
of  the  oxen  of  Icarus,  and  the  river  Eridanus,  also  ; the 


HERACLES  OR  HERCULES. 


241 


Pleiades  rise,  and  the  she-goat,  fabled  to  have  been  the 
spouse  of  Faunus.  The  tenth  labor  of  Hercules  was  restor- 
ing from  pirates,  employed  by  Busiris.  the  seven  Pleiades 
to  their  father ; slaying  Busiris,  the  same  as  Orion  ; bear- 
ing away  the  oxen  of  Geryon,  and  vanquishing  Cacus.  In 
the  eleventh  month,  the  sun  passes  into  the  sign  of  Gem- 
ini ; Procyon  set3  ; the  Dog-star  rises,  and  the  swan.  In 
his  eleventh  labor,  Hercules  conquered  the  Dog  Cerberus, 
and  triumphed  over  Cycnus  (Swan),  at  the  time  when  the 
dog-star’s  influence  is  felt  upon  the  fields. 

In  the  twelfth  month  the  sun  enters  the  sign  Cancer , 
the  last  of  the  twelve,  commencing  with  Leo.  The  con- 
stellations of  the  river  and  the  Centaur  set,  that  of  Hercu- 
les Ingeniculus  also  descends  towards  the  western  regions, 
or  those  of  Hesperia , followed  by  the  dragon  of  the  pole, 
the  guardian  of  the  golden  apples  of  the  Hesperides,  whose 
head  he  crushes  with  his  foot  In  his  twelfth  labor,  Her- 
cules travelled  to  Hesperia  in  quest  of  the  golden  fruit, 
guarded  by  the  dragon.  After  his,  he  offers  up  a sacrifice, 
and  clothes  himself  in  a robe  dipped  in  the  blood  of  the 
Centaur , whom  he  had  slain  in  crossing  a river.  The  robe 
takes  fire,  and  the  hero  perishes  amid  the  flames,  but  only 
to  resume  his  youth  in  the  heavens,  and  become  a partaker 
of  immortality. 

The  Centaur  thus  terminates  the  mortal  career  of  Her- 
cules ; and  in  like  manner  the  new  annual  period  com- 
mences with  the  passage  of  the  sun  into  Leo,  marked  by  a 
group  of  stars  in  the  morning  that  glitter  like  the  flames 
that  issued  from  the  vestment  of  Nessos. 

Heracles,  with  Omphale,  is  the  solar  god  descended  into 
the  Omphalos,  or  navel  of  the  world,  amid  the  signs  of  the 
southern  hemisphere  ; and  it  was  the  festival  of  this  power- 
ful star,  in  some  degree  enervated  at  the  period  of  the  winter 
solstice,  which  the  Lydian  people  celebrated  by  the  change 
of  vestments  made  between  the  weaker  and  stronger  sex. 

II 


242 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


DIONYSOS  OR  BACCHUS. 

Dionysos  and  Heracles,  although  born  of  mortal  mothers, 
are  associated  in  the  assembly  of  the  immortal  gods.  Yet, 
Dionysos  is  by  far  the  higher,  the  more  divine  person. 
From  the  beginning,  the  plenitude  of  his  being  is  revealed  j 
and  from  his  very  birth,  he  is  ranked  among  the  celestials, 
while  Heracles,  by  bold  deeds  and  invincible  valor,  must 
prepare  himself  the  path  to  immortality.  For  this  reason, 
too,  the  latter,  during  his  life  time,  was  ranked  only  among 
the  god-like  heroes ; while  Dionysos  was  always  entitled  to 
the  society  of  the  gods. 

The  archetype  of  Dionysos  (the  reproductive  force  :: 
nature,  of  which  wine  is  the  symbol)  was  the  inward  swell- 
ing fulness  of  nature,  typified  in  the  foaming  cup.  from 
which  she  bestows  animating  enjoyment  on  the  initiated. 
The  worship  of  Dionysos,  therefore,  like  that  of  Demeter, 
was  mysterious  ; for  both  deities  are  the  emblems  of  the 
whole  of  nature,  which  no  mortal  eye  penetrates. 

The  fiction  of  the  birth  of  Dionysos  contains  a deep 
meaning.  The  jealous  Hera,  appearing  to  his  mother  in 
the  character  of  an  old  woman,  instigated  the  daughter  of 
Cadmos  to  express  the  extravagant  wish  of  enjoying  Zeus 
in  his  divine  character.  Semele  accordingly,  first  desired 
the  Thunderer  to  swear  compliance  to  the  request  she  was 
about  to  make  to  him,  and  when  he  had  taken  the  oath,  she 
demanded  that  he  should  appear  to  her  in  his  true,  divine 
person.  Zeus,  not  daring  to  break  the  terrible  oath  by 
Styx,  was  compelled  to  approach  her  by  thunder  and  light- 
ning. The  wretched  Semele,  killed  by  the  thunder,  and 
consumed  by  the  lightning,  fell  a sacrifice  to  her  rash 
request.  Zeus  snatched  from  her  his  son  Dionysos,  yet 
unborn,  and  placed  him  in  his  thigh,  where  he  remained  till 
the  regular  time  of  his  birth.  Mortality  is  destroyed  ere 
immortality  rises.  Man,  during  his  life  time  on  earth,  not 


DIONYSOS  OR  BACCHUS. 


243 


being  able  to  bear  the  glory  of  divinity,  is  annihilated  by 
its  terrible  majesty. 

At  the  birth  of  the  child,  Zeus  gave  him  the  name  of 
Dionysos,  and  sent  him  by  Hermes  to  Iuo,  sister  to  Semele 
with  directions  to  rear  him  ; but  Hera,  whose  revenge  was 
not  yet  satiated,  caused  Athamas,  the  husband  of  Ino,  to 
go  mad.  Zeus,  to  save  Dionysos  from  the  machinations 
of  Hera,  changed  him  into  a kid,  under  which  form  Her- 
mes conveyed  him  to  the  nymphs  of  Nysa,  who  were  to 
take  charge  of  his  education,  and  by  whom  he  was  reared 
with  the  greatest  tenderness. 

In  his  boyhood,  Dionysos,  as  if  yet  half  reeling  in  sweet 
slumber,  does  not  comprehend  the  fulness  of  his  being,  and 
appears  apprehensive  of  injuries  inflicted  by  men,  until 
his  formidable  power  suddenly  reveals  itself  through  mira- 
culous events.  Lycurgus,  king  of  the  Edones,  a people  of 
Thrace,  surprised  the  nurses  of  Dionysos  on  Mount  Nysa, 
and  wounded  several  of  them.  The  terrified  Dionysos 
threw  himself  into  the  sea,  when  Thetis  took  him  up  in 
her  arms ; but  he  avenged  himself  by  driving  Lycurgus 
mad,  when  he  killed  his  own  son,  Dryas,  with  a blow  of  an 
axe,  mistaking  him  for  a vine-branch  His  subjects  after- 
wards bound  him,  and  left  him  on  Mount  Pangseon,  where 
he  was  destroyed  by  wild  horses,  for  such  was  the  will  of 
Dionysos. 

When  Dionysos  grew  up,  he  discovered  the  culture  of 
the  vine,  and  the  mode  of  extracting  its  precious  liquor  ; 
but  Hera  struck  him  with  madness,  and  in  this  state  he 
roamed  through  a great  part  of  Asia.  In  Phrygia  he  was 
met  by  Rhea,  who  cured  him,  and  taught  him  her  religious 
rites,  which  he  resolved  to  introduce  into  Greece.  In  his 
course  he  met  with  various  adventures. 

At  one  time  a body  of  pirates,  who  took  him  for  the  son 
of  a king,  in  the  hope  of  obtaining  a large  ransom,  carried 
him  off  and  placed  him  on  board  thgir  ship.  No  sooner 


£44 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


however,  had  they  left  the  shore,  than  the  cords  with 
which  the  smiling  boy  was  fastened  fell  off,  and  a fragrant 
stream  of  wine  ran  through  the  ship ; then  suddenly  a 
vine  rose  to  the  top  sail,  which  expanded  its  branches, 
loaded  with  heavy  grapes  : the  mast  became  entwined  with 
dark  ivy,  and  all  the  oars  were  covered  with  vine  leaves. 
On  the  deck  of  the  vessel  a terrible  lion  made  its  appear- 
ance, casting  around  him  fierce,  threatening  glances ; ter- 
ror seized  the  offenders,  who  leaped  from  the  ship  into  the 
raging  sea,  where  suddenly  appearing  as  swimming  dol- 
phins, they  bore  witness  to  the  power  of  the  all-conquering 
deity. 

When  Dionysos  reached  Thebes,  the  women  readily  re- 
ceived the  new  rites,  and  ran  wildly  through  the  woods  of 
Cithaeron.  Peutheus,  the  ruler  of  Thebes,  set  himself 
against  them  ; but  Dionysos  caused  him  to  be  torn  to 
pieces  by  his  mother  and  aunts.  The  daughters  of  Min- 
yas,  Leucippe,  Aristippe,  and  Aicathoe,  also  despised  his 
rites,  and  continued  plying  their  looms,  while  the  other 
women  ran  through  the  mountains.  Dionysos  appeared 
to  them  as  a maiden  and  remonstrated,  but  in  vain  ; he 
then  assumed  the  form  of  various  wild  beasts  ; serpents 
filled  their  baskets  ; vines  and  ivy  twined  round  their 
looms,  while  wine  and  milk  distilled  from  the  roof ; still 
their  obstinacy  was  unsubdued.  He  finally  drove  them 
mad,  when  they  tore  to  pieces  the  son  of  Leucippe,  and 
then  went  roaming  through  the  mountains,  till  Hermes 
touched  them  with  his  wand,  and  changed  them  into  a bat, 
an  owl,  and  a crow. 

Dionysos  next  proceeded  to  Attica,  where  he  taught  Ica- 
rios  the  culture  of  the  vine.  Icarios  having  made  wine, 
gave  it  to  some  shepherds,  who,  thinking  themselves  poi- 
soned, killed  him  ; recovering  themselves,  they  buried  him. 
His  daughter.  Erigone,  being  shown  the  spot  by  his  faithful 
dog  Maara,  hung  herself  through  grief. 


DIONYSOS  O £ BACCHUS, 


245 


At  Argos  the  rites  of  Dionysos  were  receiveo  by  the 
women  as  at  Thebes,  an'd  opposed  by  Perseus,  the  son  of 
Zeus  and  Danae  ; Zeus,  however,  reduced  h s two  sons  to 
amity,  and  Dionysos  thence  passed  over  to  Naxca,  where 
he  met  with  Ariadne.  Afterwards  he  descended  to  Ere- 
bos,  whence  he  brought  his  mother,  whom  he  named  Thy- 
one,  and  ascended  with  her  to  the  abode  of  the  gods. 

The  expedition  of  Bacchos  to  India,  is  a beautiful  and 
sublime  fiction.  With  an  army  of  both  men  and  women, 
who  advanced  with  joyful  tumult,  he  extended  his  benefi- 
cent conquests  as  far  as  the  Ganges,  teaching  the  conquer- 
ed nations  the  cultivation  of  the  vine,  together  with  a 
higher  enjoyment  of  life,  and  giving  them  laws.  In  the 
divine  person  of  Bacchos,  men  revered  the  more  cheerful 
delights  of  life,  as  a particular,  sublime  being,  who,  under 
the  form  of  an  eternally  flourishing  youth,  subdues  lions 
and  tigers  that  draw  his  chariot,  and  who,  in  divine  ecsta- 
sy, accompanied  by  the  sound  of  flutes  and  timbrels,  pro 
ceeds  in  triumph,  from  east  to  west,  through  all  countries 

The  victorious  expedition,  undertaken  for  the  benefit  of 
the  nations  of  earth,  was  accomplished  by  Bacchos  in  three 
years  ; for  which  reason  the  festivals  afterwards  instituted 
in  remembrance  of  it,  were  always  celebrated  after  the 
same  interval  of  time.  Then,  the  joyful  tumult  which 
accompanied  the  march  of  the  god  through  the  earth  was 
repeated,  and  celebrated  anew  from  every  hill  and  moun- 
tain. The  priestesses  of  the  god  of  wine,  roaming  with  dis- 
hevelled hair  upon  the  mountains,  filled  the  air  with  the 
noise  proceeding  from  the  beating  of  timbrels,  playing  upon 
flutes,  &c.,  and  the  wild,  continual  cry,  of  Euoi ! Bacche! 
The  threatening  thyrses  in  their  hands,  from  which  the 
colored  ribbons  waved,  while  the  pine  apple  on  its  top  con- 
cealed the  wounding  point,  is  an  emblem  of  the  expedition 
to  India  ; on  occasion  of  which,  the  clamor  of  war  and  din 


246 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


of  battle  were  hidden  under  song  and  the  sound  of  musical 
instruments. 

Mythologists  differ  in  opinion  as  to  the  origin  of  Bac- 
chos.  Creutzer  and  others  consider  his  wrorship  as  evi 
dently  of  eastern  origin,  and  that  he  is  identified  with  the 
Osiris  of  the  Egyptians  and  the  Schiva  of  India.  The 
fable  of  his  birth,  and  his  strange  translation  to  the  thigh 
of  the  monarch  of  Olympos,  bear  the  impress  of  oriental 
imagery.  An  ivy  branch  is  made  to  spring  forth  from  a 
column  to  cover  him  with  its  leaves  when  he  is  taken  from 
his  mother,  and  the  Ivy  was  in  Egypt  the  plant  of  Osiris. 
In  like  manner,  the  coffin  of  the  Egyptian  deity  is  shaded 
by  the  plant  erica,  which  springs  from  the  ground  and  en- 
velopes it.  Bacchos  and  Osiris  both  float  upon  the  waters 
in  a chest,  or  ark,  and  both  have  for  one  of  their  symbols 
the  head  of  a bull. 

The  Lingam  and  equilateral  triangle,  symbols  of  Bac- 
chos, were  also  symbols  of  Schiva.  The  two  systems  of 
worship  have  the  same  obscenities  and  the  same  emblems. 
Schiva  is  represented,  in  the  Hindoo  Mythology,  as  assum- 
ing the  form  of  a lion  during  the  great  battle  of  the  godo. 
Ho  seizes  the  monster  that  attacks  him  with  his  teeth 
and  fangs,  while  Dourga  pierces  him  with  his  lance.  In 
the  Grecian  Mythology,  the  same  exploit  is  attributed  to 
Bacchos,  under  the  same  form,  against  the  giant  Rhoetos. 

The  Grecian  festivals,  in  honor  of  Dionysos,  called  Dio- 
nysia,  were  observed  at  Athens  with  more  splendor  and 
superstition  than  in  any  other  part  of  Greece.  The  years 
were  numbered  by  their  celebration,  the  archon  assisted 
at  their  solemnity,  and  the  priests  who  officiated  were 
honored  with  the  most  dignified  seats  at  the  public  games. 
They  were  at  first  celebrated  with  great  simplicity,  and  the 
time  was  consecrated  to  mirth.  It  was  then  usual  to  bring 


DIONYSOS  OR  BACCHUS. 


247 


a vessel  full  of  wine,  adorned  with  a vine  branch,  after 
which  followed  a goat,  a basket  of  figs,  and  other  emblems. 
In  imitation  of  the  poetical  fictions  of  Dionysos,  his  wor- 
shippers were  clothed  in  fawn  skins,  fine  linen,  and  mitres, 
and  crowned  themselves  with  garlands  of  ivy,  vine,  and  fir, 
and  carried  thyrses,  drums,  pipes  and  flutes.  Some,  in  the 
uncouth  manner  of  their  dress,  and  their  fantastic  motions, 
imitated  Pan,  Silenos,  and  the  Satyrs;  and  some  rode  on 
asses,  while  others  drove  the  goats  to  slaughter  for  the  sac- 
rifice, and  in  this  manner  both  sexes  joined  in  the  solem- 
nity, and  ran  about  the  hills  and  country,  nodding  their 
heads,  dancing  in  ridiculous  postures,  and  filling  the  air 
with  hideous  shrieks  and  shouts,  crying  Bacche ! Io ! Io ! 
Euoi!  Iacche ! etc.,  beating  on  drums  and  sounding  vari- 
ous instruments. 

With  such  solemnities  were  the  Greek  festivals  of  Bac- 
chos  celebrated.  In  one  of  these  a procession  was  formed, 
bearing  the  various  emblems  of  his  worship  : and  among 
them  a select  number  of  noble  virgins  carried  baskets  of 
gold,  filled  with  all  kinds  of  fruit ; serpents  were  some 
times  put  in  the  baskets,  and  by  their  wreathing  and  crawl- 
ing out  amused  and  astonished  the  beholders.  This  was 
the  most  mysterious  part  of  the  solemnity. 

These  festivals,  in  honor  of  the  god  of  wine,  contributed 
much  to  the  corruption  of  morals  among  all  classes  of  peo- 
ple. They  were  introduced  into  Etruria,  and  from  thence 
to  Rome,  where  both  sexes  promiscuously  joined  in  the 
celebration  during  the  darkness  of  the  night;  but  their 
vicious  excesses  called  for  the  interference  of  the  senate, 
who  passed  a decree,  banishing  the  Bacchanalia  for  ever 
from  Rome. 

The  women  who  bore  a chief  part  in  these  festivals 
were  called  Mcenades , Bacchcz , Thyiades , and  Euades. 

As  the  god  of  wine,  Bacchos  is  generally  represented 


248 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


crowned  with  vine  and  ivy  leaves,  with  a thyrse  in  his  hand. 
His  figure  is  that  of  an  effeminate  young  man. 

The  golden  horns  upon  the  head  of  Bacchos,  which  by 
the  plastic  art  of  the  Greeks  were  either  entirely  hidden, 
or  partly  concealed,  are  a token  of  the  high  antiquity  of 
this  god  ; such  horns  having  been  in  the  remotest  times 
connected  with  the  ideas  of  inward,  divine  power. 

Among  animals, ^the  spotted  panther  is  sacred  to  Bac- 
chos  ; fierceness,  nay,  even  cruelty  is  tamed  by  him,  and 
cringes  at  his  feet ; and  he  is  said  to  have  been  clothed  in 
the  skin  of  this  animal  on  his  expedition  to  India.  The 
ever-verdant  ivy,  and  the  snake,  which,  casting  its  skin, 
renews  itself,  are  pleasing  emblems  of  perpetual  youth  ; 
in  which  the  divine  form  of  Bacchos  resembles  that  of 
Apollo,  only  with  this  difference — the  former  is  represented 
as  more  delicate  and  feminine.  His  beauty  is  compared  to 
that  of  Apollo,  and  both  are  represented  with  fine  hair 
flowing  loosely  on  the  shoulders. 

The  thyrse  was  one  of  the  most  common  and  ancient 
attributes  of  Bacchos  and  his  joyous  crew.  It  consisted  of 
a lance,  the  iron  point  of  which  was  concealed  in  a pine 
cone,  in  memory  of  the  stratagem  of  his  followers  in  con- 
cealing their  pikes.  It  was  used  at  all  the  festivals  held  in 
his  honor,  and  often  twined  with  wreaths  of  ivy  or  bay. 

MINOS,  RHADAMANTHYS,  AND  SARPEDON. 

Zeus,  says  the  legend,  becoming  enamored  of  the  beauty 
of  Europa,  the  daughter  of  Phoenix  or  Agenor,  changed 
himself  into  a beautiful  white  bull,  and  w breathing  saffron 
from  his  mouth, ” he  approached  her  as^  she  was  gathering 
flowers  with  her  companions  in  a mead  near  the  shore. 
Europa,  delighted  with  the  tameness  and  beauty  of  the 
animal,  caressed  him,  crowned  him  with  flowers,  and  at 
length  ventured  to  mount  his  back.  The  disguised  god 
immediately  made  off  with  his  lovely  burden,  ran  along 


MINOS,  RHADAMANTHYS,  AND  SARPEDON.  249 


the  waves  of  the  sea,  and  made  no  stop  till  he  arrived  at 
Crete,  not  far  from  Gortyna.  Here  he  resumed  his  own 
form,  and  beneath  a plane-tree  embraced  the  trembling 
maiden.  By  him  she  had  three  sons,  Minos,  Bhadaman- 
thys,  and  Sarpedon. 

These  three  brothers  fell  into  discord  for  the  sake  of 
a beautiful  youth  named  Miletos,  the  son  of  Apollo,  or  of 
Zeus.  The  youth  testifying  the  most  esteem  for  Sarpedon, 
Minos  chased  them  out  of  Crete.  Miletos  went  to  Caria, 
where  he  built  a town  which  he  named  from  himself.  Sar- 
pedon went  to  Lycia,  where  he  aided  Cilix  against  the 
people  of  that  country,  and  obtained  the  sovereignty  of  a 
part  of  it.  Zeus  is  said  to  have  bestowed  on  him  a life  of 
triple  duration. 

Bhadamanthys  ruled  with  justice  and  equity  over  the 
islands.  Having  accidentally  committed  homicide,  he  re- 
tired to  Boeotia,  where  he  married  Alcinena,  the  mother 
of  Heracles.  According  to  Homer,  Bhadamanthys  was 
placed  on  the  Elysian  Plain,  among  the  heroes  to  whom 
Zeus  allotted  that  blissful  abode.  Pindar  seems  to  make 
him  a sovereign  or  judge  in  the  island  of  the  Blest.  Later 
poets  place  him  with  Minos  and  ASacos  in  the  under  world, 
where  their  office  is  to  judge  the  dead. 

Minos  is  chiefly  remarkable  for  belonging  to  a period 
when  history  and  mythology  interlace ; and  as  uniting  in 
his  own  person  the  chief  characteristics  of  both.  He  is  a 
son  of  Zeus,  and  yet  the  first  possessor  of  a navy ; a judge 
in  Hades,  and  at  the  same  time  a king  in  Crete. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  Crete,  so  famous  at  this  age, 
both  for  its  naval  power  and  for  being  the  birth-place  of  the 
Olympian  gods,  should  never  afterwards  have  attained  any 
thing  like  the  celebrity  which  its  position  seemed  to  prom- 
ise. Its  office  seems  to  have  been  that  of  leading  the  way 
in  naval  supremacy.  Too  isolated  for  power  of  a durable 
nature,  it  was  lost  in  the  confederate  or  opposing  glories  of 

11# 


250 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


Athens  and  Sparta ; but  while  they  were  yet  in  their  infan- 
cy, the  insular  form  of  Crete  (together  perhaps  with  some 
Asiatic  refinement)  gave  it  that  concentrated  energy,  which 
in  an  early  age  is  irresistible. 

According  to  fiction,  Minos,  in  a grotto  on  Mount  Ida, 
had  occasional  secret  converse  with  his  father  Zeus,  the  pur- 
port of  which  he  announced  to  the  listening  people  as  the 
fundamental  part  of  legislation.  In  consequence  of  this 
wise  government  and  justice,  fiction  transferred  to  him,  to- 
gether with  his  brother  and  counsellor,  Rhadamanthys,  as 
the  most  righteous  of  mortals,  the  judicature  over  the  dead 
in  the  lower  world  ; associating  with  them  iEacos,  the  father 
of  Peleus,  and  sometimes  Triptolemos  too,  the  benefactor 
of  mankind. 

Minos,  the  legislator,  was  at  the  same  time  a warlike 
and  valiant  prince,  who,  sweeping  the  pirates  from  the  Me- 
diterranean sea,  rendered  sailing  and  commerce  safe.  But 
the  hero,  who  in  many  respects  was  the  benefactor  of  man- 
kind, was  obliged  to  endure  misfortunes  which  shaded  his 
glorious  victories  in  gloom. 

The  wife  of  Minos  was  Pasiphae,  a daughter  of  the  Sun 
and  Perseis,  and  sister  of  iEtes.  By  her  he  had  several 
children,  the  most  celebrated  of  whom  were  Androgeos, 
Glaucos,  Deucalion,  Ariadne,  and  Phaedra. 

After  the  death  of  Asterion,  the  Cretans  hesitated  whe- 
ther to  give  Minos  the  royal  dignity ; to  prove  his  claim 
to  it,  he  asserted  that  he  could  obtain  whatever  he  chose 
to  pray  for.  Then,  sacrificing  to  Poseidon,  he  besought 
him  to  send  him  a bull  from  the  bottom  of  the  sea  (a  bull 
with  the  ancients  being  an  emblem  of  power),  promising  to 
sacrifice  whatever  should  appear.  Poseidon  sent  the  bull, 
and  Minos  received  the  kingdom.  According  to  Homer, 
he  ruled  nine  years  at  Cnossos,  and  was  the  intimate 
friend  of  Zeus.  He  was  victorious  in  war,  and  extended 
his  dominion  over  the  isles  of  the  Aegean. 


MINOS,  RHAfiAMANTHYS,  AND  feARPEDON.  251 


The  bull  which  Poseidon  had  sent  out  of  the  sea,  being 
of  a large  size  and  brilliant  white  hue,  appeared  to  Minos 
too  beautiful  an  animal  to  be  slain;  he  therefore  put  him 
in  his  herd  and  substituted  an  ordinary  one  in  its  place. 
This  act  offended  Poseidon,  and  he  caused  the  bull  to  run 
wild,  and  at  the  same  time  inspired  Pasiphae  with  a strange 
passion  for  him,  and  she  became  the  parent  of  the  monster, 
half  man  and  half  bull,  which,  under  the  name  of  the  Mi- 
notaur, often  makes  its  appearance  in  ancient  fictions. 

Dsedalos,  the  most  skilful  artist  and  architect  of  that 
time,  had  fled  to  Crete,  on  account  of  a crime  committed  in 
his  native  city  of  Athens  ; and  Minos,  in  compliance  with 
an  oracle,  charged  him  with  making  that  subterranean 
building,  with  many  walks  and  innumerable  winding  pas- 
sages, which  is  known  by  the  name  of  the  Cretan  Laby- 
rinth. In  the  middle  of  this  Labyrinth  was  the  abode 
of  the  Minotaur,  visible  only  to  those  unfortunate  victims 
who  were  thrown  to  the  monster  to  be  devoured,  or  those 
who  had  dared  to  enter  the  Labyrinth,  but  were  unable  to 
extricate  themselves,  and  thus  came  withiu  the  reach  of  its 
terrible  inmate. 

In  the  mean  while,  Androgeos,  a son  of  Minos,  accompa- 
nied by  many  of  his  friends,  had  undertaken  a voyage  to 
Athens  to  participate  in  the  celebration  of  the  Athenian 
games.  Having  there  excited  the  jealousy  and  suspicion 
of  iEgeus,  the  childless  king  of  Athens,  because  he  had 
taken  the  prize  in  every  combat,  and  gained  the  applause 
of  the  whole  people,  the  promising  son  of  Minos  was  basely 
assassinated.  No  sooner  was  his  father  informed  of  this 
new  misfortune  that  had  befallen  him,  than  he  went  over 
to  Athens  with  his  whole  force  to  avenge  the  murder. 

He  first  besieged  Nisa,  where  Nisos,  brother  of  iEgeus, 
was  king.  Nisos,  with  his  city,  was  betrayed  by  his  own 
daughter,  Scylla,  who  having  an  admiration  for  Minos,  in 
disregard  both  )f  filial  love  and  duty,  went  to  her  father 


252 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY, 


while  he  was  sleeping,  and  cut  from  his  head  a golden  lock, 
by  means  of  which  he  had  been  invincible.  She  handed 
this  lock,  the  strength  of  her  father,  to  Minos ; but  instead 
of  gaining  favor  with  the  Cretan  ruler,  as  she  had  expected, 
she  was  punished  by  him  according  to  her  deserts : he  em- 
ployed the  gift  to  his  advantage  but  treated  the  giver  with 
scorn  and  contempt. 

After  the  attack  on  Nisa,  which  city  was  afterwards  called 
Megara,  Minos  immediately  moved  with  his  army  towards 
Athens,  which  oppressed  by  drought  and  famine,  was  already 
groaning  under  the  wrath  of  the  gods  and  its  distressing 
fate.  In  addition  to  the  miseries  which  they  suffered,  it 
was  declared  by  an  oracle,  that  the  immortals  would  not 
cease  to  send  misfortunes  on  the  city,  until  it  should  have 
given  to  Minos  ample  satisfaction  for  the  murder  of  his 
son.  Upon  this,  the  Athenians  sent  ambassadors  to  the 
ruler  of  Crete,  who  appeared  before  him  with  humble  de- 
meanor, and  supplicated  peace.  Minos  granted  peace  on 
this  hard  condition  ; — that  Athens  should  send  annually 
seven  of  her  handsomest  youths,  and  as  many  of  her  most 
beautiful  maidens  to  Crete,  in  order,  as  victims  of  their 
native  land,  to  expiate  the  murder  of  Androgeos,  by  be- 
coming the  prey  of  the  Minotaur. 

When  Theseus  had  at  last  killed  this  monster  and  fled 
with  Ariadne,  the  daughter  of  the  Cretan  monarch,  Minos, 
unable  to  avenge  himself  in  any  other  manner,  shut  up  the 
Athenian  Laedalos,  together  with  his  son,  Icaros,  in  the  La- 
byrinth, the  work  of  his  own  hands.  The  art  of  Daedalos, 
however,  supplied  him  with  the  means  of  flying  with  his 
son  out  of  prison,  and  of  reaching  Sicily,  where  he  met 
with  a friendly  reception  by  Cocalos,  king  of  the  island. 

Minos  demanded  that  Daedalos  should  be  delivered  up 
to  him  ; and  having  been  invited  by  Cocalos  to  a personal 
interview,  went  to  Sicily,  where  he  was  received  by  the 
king  in  a friendly  manner ; but  in  the  end  was  secretly 


THESEUS. 


253 


suffocated  when  bathing.  Thus  Minos,  the  wise  Legislator, 
the  valiant  warrior,  the  benefactor  of  mankind,  found  his 
death  in  a foreign  country,  while  pursuing  the  artist  who 
was  protected  by  the  immortals.  He  was  succeeded  in 
his  kingdom  by  his  son  Deucalion,  whose  sou,  Idomeneus 
led  the  troops  of  Crete  to  the  war  of  Troy. 

THESEUS. 

Theseus,  king  of  Athens,  and  son  of  iEgeus  by  iEthra, 
the  daughter  of  Pittheus,  monarch  of  Troezen,  was  one  of 
the  most  famous  heroes  of  antiquity.  iEgeus,  who  was  pri- 
vately married  to  HSthra,  before  leaving  Troezen,  concealed 
his  sword  and  sandals  under  a stone,  and  told  iEthra,  that 
if  she  should  have  a son,  not  to  send  him  to  Athens  until 
he  had  become  strong  enough  to  raise  it.  She  obeyed  the 
injunction,  and  Theseus  was  educated  by  Connidas  under 
the  supervision  of  his  grandfather,  the  wise  Pittheus  ; and 
as  often  as  the  Athenians  celebrated  a festival  in  honor  of 
Theseus,  the  name  of  Connidas  was  mentioned  with  venera- 
tion. 

When  Theseus  was  grown  to  the  proper  age,  his  mother 
led  him  to  the  stone  on  which  he  was  to  try  his  strength - 
Lifting  it,  he  took  from  beneath  his  father’s  sword  and 
sandals,  with  wrhich  he  entered  upon  his  journey  to  Athens. 

Imitating  the  example  of  Heracles,  whom  the  glowing 
soul  of  the  young  hero  had  embraced  as  his  model,  he  chose 
the  more  dangerous  way  by  land,  wh#re  he  must  encoun- 
ter robbers,  who  made  the  roads  unsafe,  and  who  treated 
all  strangers  who  fell  into  their  hands  in  the  most  cruel 
manner.  As  Theseus,  armed  with  his  father’s  good  sword, 
was  passing  on  his  way  from  Troezen,  through  the  country 
of  Epidauros,  he  first  met  with  Periphates,  a son  of  He- 
phaestos.  This  ferocious  savage  was  famous  for  his  cruel 
ty,  and  trusting  to  his  gigantic  strength,  laid  wait  foi 
travellers  with  no  other  weapon  than  a club,  which,  how 


254 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


ever,  was  the  terror  of  all  the  surrounding  country.  The* 
seus,  assaulted  by  him,  stretched  him  to  the  ground  by  the 
aid  of  his  good  sword,  and  ever  after  carried  the  club  of 
his  foe  in  remembrance  of  his  victory. 

Upon  the  Isthmus  of  Corinth  he  fought  a still  more 
cruel  murderer,  Sinis  ( Evil-doer ),  who  was  also  called  the 
Pint  bender.  His  strength  was  so  great  that  he  was  able 
to  take  pine  trees  by  the  top,  and  bend  them  to  the  ground. 
Placing  himself  by  the  road  side,  he  obliged  all  passengers 
to  take  hold  of  a pine  with  him  and  bend  it ; he  would  then 
let  go,  and  the  tree  flying  up,  the  unhappy  stranger  was 
dashed  to  the  ground  and  killed.  Theseus,  on  being  chal- 
lenged, though  he  never  before  attempted  such  a feat,  held 
down  the  tree  with  ease  5 he  then  conquered  the  monster, 
and  obliged  him  to  undergo  the  punishment  that  his 
cruelty  and  crimes  deserved,  by  putting  him  to  death  in 
the  same  manner  in  which  he  had  been  accustomed  to  de- 
stroy his  fellow-creatures. 

Theseus  likewise  delivered  the  countries  through  which 
he  passed  from  the  monsters  by  which  they  were  infested  ; 
killing,  among  others,  the  Cromyonian  Swine,  which,  wast- 
ing the  fields,  and  threatening  destruction  every  where  to 
the  inhabitants,  was  both  a plague  and  a terror  to  the  land. 

As  be  approached  the  borders  of  Megara,  he  came  to 
the  narrow  path  overhanging  the  sea,  where  the  robber 
Sciron  (from  whom  the  pass  derived  its  name)  had  fixed 
his  abode.  When  #ny  stranger  came  to  him,  it  was  the 
custom  of  Sciron,  instead  of  giving  water  to  wash  the  feet 
of  his  guest,  to  insist  upon  the  guest’s  washing  his  feet. 
This  ceremony  was  performed  on  the  pass  ; and  Sciron, 
taking  advantage  of  the  opportunity  it  gave  him,  tumbled 
every  one  into  the  sea,  where  was  a huge  tortoise  always 
ready  to  devour  the  bodies  of  those  who  were  thrown  down. 
Theseus  conquered  Sciron,  and  threw  him  down  to  the 
tortoise. 


THESEUS. 


255 


In  Eleusis,  Theseus  fought  with  the  robber  Cercyon, 
whom  he  vanquished  and  killed  ; and  upon  arriving  a short 
distance  further,  at  Hermione,  he  found  the  formidable  Da- 
mastes,  who,  from  the  particular  kind  of  cruelty  with  which 
he  abused  foreigners,  was  called  Procrustes  ( the  Stretcher), 
For  this  tyrant  is  said  to  have  had  two  iron  bedsteads,  of 
different  lengths,  in  which  he  placed  all  strangers  who  ar- 
rived within  his  reach  ; and  in  such  a manner  as  to  lay  the 
short  ones  upon  the  long  bedstead,  and  those  who  were  of 
a larger  stature,  upon  the  short  one.  He  then  by  force 
stretched  the  former  to  the  extremity  of  the  bedstead,  and 
cut  off  the  limbs  of  the  latter  to  fit  their  couch  of  torture. 
Theseus,  after  having  subdued  him  in  a combat,  subjected 
him  to  the  same  pain  that  he  had  inflicted  upon  others, 
and  then  delivered  the  earth  from  the  monster. 

It  seems  as  if  fiction  here  aimed  at  representing  the  vio- 
lation of  the  rites  of  hospitality  in  its  most  heinous  light ; 
for  what  can  be  imagined  more  cruel  and  barbarous  than  to 
change  the  very  place  of  repose  into  a rack  ! It  was  under 
the  sacredness  of  hospitality,  that  men  could  first  commune 
with  each  other,  and  contribute  to  their  mutual  civiliza- 
tion. To  rid  the  earth  of  such  as  violated  these  sacred 
rites,  and  thereby  hinder  the  progress  of  improvement 
among  mankind,  was  a task  worthy  of  the  heroes,  whose 
proper  reward  is,  having  their  names  immortalized  as  the 
benefactors  of  the  world. 

When  Theseus  arrived  at  Athens,  he  was  recognized 
and  acknowledged  by  iEgeus  as  his  son  and  successor  on 
the  royal  throne  ; upon  which,  the  sons  of  Pallas,  the  bro- 
ther of  iEgeus,  who  had  already  flattered  themselves  with 
the  hope  of  succeeding  their  childless  uncle  in  the  govern- 
ment of  Athens,  excited  a revolt,  which,  however,  was  im- 
mediately quelled  by  Theseus. 

It  was  then  the  third  year  that  the  Athenians  had  been 
obliged  to  send  the  sad  tribute  of  fourteen  of  its  handsom- 


256 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


est  children  to  the  island  of  Crete,  as  an  atonement  for  the 
murder  of  Androgeos,  son  of  Minos ; and  as  long  as  the 
Minotaur  was  alive,  the  Athenians  dared  not  hope  to  be 
released  from  the  tribute.  When,  therefore,  the  youths 
and  maidens  had  drawn  their  lot  of  death,  and  as  the  des- 
tined victims  for  the  present  year  were  departing,  in  spite 
of  the  entreaties  of  his  father  to  the  contrary,  Theseus 
voluntarily  offered  himself  as  one  of  their  number,  in  the 
hope  of  conquering  the  monster. 

Before  his  departure,  he  made  a vow  to  Apollo  that,  if 
lie  should  be  successful  in  this  undertaking,  he  would 
send  annually  to  his  temple  on  the  island  of  Delos,  a ship 
laden  with  offerings  and  presents  ; and,  upon  inquiring  of 
the  oracle  what  the  event  should  be,  he  received  for  answer, 
that  if  he  chose  Love  for  his  guide,  it  would  be  successful. 

The  ship  departed  as  usual,  under  black  sails,  which 
Theseus  promised  his  father  to  exchange  for  white  in  case 
he  should  return  victorious.  The  vessel,  wafted  by  favor- 
able winds,  soon  arrived  at  Crete,  where,  when  the  victims 
were  presented  to  Minos,  the  eyes  of  Ariadne,  his  royal 
daughter,  rested  upon  Theseus,  whose  beauty  and  noble 
stature  made  an  impression  on  her  heart.  Theseus  chose 
Love  for  his  guide,  receiving  from  Ariadne  the  clew  that 
made  him  secure  of  a passage  out  of  the  Labyrinth.  Hold- 
ing Ariadne’s  thread  in  his  hand,  he  confidently  descended 
into  the  mazes  of  the  subterranean  building,  where,  as 
soon  as  he  had  found  the  Minotaur,  he  began  a desperate 
fight  with  the  monster,  and  killed  him,  aided  by  the  ad- 
vice which  he  had  received  from  Ariadne. 

The  death  of  the  monster  freed  the  Athenians  from  the 
horrible  tribute  which  they  had  twice  paid  with  their  own 
children ; and  their  sons  and  daughters,  already  destined 
to  die  a cruel  death,  owed  their  preservation  to  Theseus. 
The  expression  of  their  gratitude  became  a favorite  sub* 
ject  of  plastic  art,  in  ancient  as  well  as  in  modern  times. 


THESEUS. 


257 


A picture,  found  in  Herculaneum,  shows  the  hero  sur- 
rounded by  tender  boys,  who  were  saved  from  death  by 
his  exertions,  and  who,  in  gratitude,  are  embracing  his 
knees  and  kissing  his  hands. 

Ariadne  fled  with  her  beloved  Theseus  to  the  island  of 
Naxos,  where,  however,  Theseus  was  forced  by  the  will  of 
the  gods  to  desert  her,  because  Bacchos,  the  deity  of  the 
island,  was  captivated  by  her  charms.  The  god  found  her 
sleeping  at  night  in  the  open  air,  and  when  she  awoke,  he, 
in  token  of  his  divinity,  cast  the  golden  crown  which  he 
wore  upon  his  head  towards  the  sky,  where  it  immediately 
appeared  as  a splendid  constellation,  and  bore  witness  to 
the  marriage  of  Bacchos  and  Ariadne. 

Before  returning  to  Athens,  Theseus  sailed  to  the  island 
of  Delos,  in  order  to  pay  his  vow  to  Apollo.  At  the  same 
time,  he  there  consecrated  to  Aphrodite,  in  gratitude  for  the 
assistance  he  had  received  from  her,  a statue  made  by  Dae- 
dalos  ; and  to  preserve  the  memory  of  his  victory  over  the 
Minotaur,  he  instituted  a dance,  which  imitated  the  wind- 
ings of  the  Labyrinth. 

The  sacred  vow  which  Theseus  had  made  to  the  god  of 
Delos,  was,  long  after  his  death,  fulfilled  with  the  greatest 
care  by  the  Athenians.  In  the  very  same  ship  in  which 
the  hero  had  returned  from  Crete,*  ambassadors,  crowned 
with  olive  wreaths,  were  sent  every  year  to  Delos  ; and  to 
make  the  vessel,  as  it  were,  everlasting,  the  injuries  of 
time  were  carefully  repaired,  so  that  at  last,  although  con- 
sidered the  same,  she  was  an  entirely  different  ship  from 
that  which  had  borne  the  hero.  Neither  was  any  criminal 
put  to  death  while  this  ship  was  on  its  passage  to  and  from 
Delos — a circumstance  which  long  afterwards  spared  for  a 
short  time  the  life  of  Socrates.  It  was  a law  worthy  of  the 
sublime  sentiments  of  the  Athenians  during  their  better 
times,  that  while  celebrating  the  delivery  of  their  children 


259 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


from  destruction,  no  one  should  become  the  victim  of  a 
violent  death. 

From  Delos,  Theseus  steered  directly  to  Athens,  to  an- 
nounce there  the  happy  issue  of  his  enterprise,  which  was 
yet  to  terminate  in  a tragical  event.  For  when  iEgeus, 
standing  on  a high  rock  near  the  sea-shore,  and  looking 
anxiously  over  the  waters  for  the  returning  ship,  descried 
at  last  a black  sail,  which  the  pilot  had  forgotten  to  ex- 
change for  a white  one,  in  despair  he  threw  himself  into 
the  sea,  which  after  him  is  called  the  iEgean. 

Theseus  was  received  with  loud  applause  by  the  Atheni- 
ans, as  their  protector  and  deliverer  from  the  most  dis- 
tressing tribute  ; and,  succeeding  his  father  on  the  royal 
throne,  he  availed  himself  of  the  affection  of  his  people, 
and  introduced  a wise  course  of  government,  as  well  as  an 
improved  code  of  laws.  Indeed  he  may  be  called  the  cre- 
ator of  the  Athenian  state,  because  he  united  the  people 
(who,  until  his  day,  had  lived  scattered)  in  small  districts, 
and  brought  them  into  one  compact  body  in  the  city,  which 
he  divided  into  certain  sections;  he  also  settled  the  bor- 
ders of  the  Athenian  territory,  by  treaties  with  the  neigh- 
boring tribes.  Having  succeeded  in  modelling  the  people 
according  to  his  views,  he  instituted  the  religious  service 
of  Feitho , the  goddess  of  persuasion. 

After  having  accomplished  his  task  as  a royal  magistrate 
and  legislator,  Theseus  gave  an  example  of  magnanimity 
which  rendered  him  worthy  the  admiration  of  all  success- 
ive ages.  Voluntarily  divesting  himself  of  the  greater 
part  of  his  authority,  in  compliance  with  the  voice  of  an 
oracle,  he  endeavored  to  prepare  Athens  for  becoming  a 
republic.  In  honor  of  Poseidon,  whom  Fame  called  his 
father,  he  renewed  the  Athenian  games  ; and  as  all  Greece 
assembled  at  their  celebration,  he  in  this  way  promoted  the 
intercourse  and  general  improvement  among  his  people. 

Theseus’  civic  cares  did  not  prevent  him  from  engaging 


THESEUS. 


259 


in  warlike  occupations.  He  accompanied  Heracles  in  his 
expedition  against  the  Amazons,  who  then  dwelt  on  the 
banks  of  the  Thermodon  ; and  as  a reward  for  his  distin- 
guished services  in  the  conflict,  Heracles,  after  the  victory, 
bestowed  on  him  the  hand  of  the  vanquished  queen. 
When  the  Amazons  in  revenge  afterwards  invaded  the  At- 
tic territory,  they  again  met  with  a signal  defeat  by  the 
Athenian  prince 

An  amiable  feature  in  the  history  of  this  hero,  is  the 
inseparable  friendship  which  united  him  with  Pirithoos,  a 
Thessalian  prince,  who  ruled  over  the  Lapithee.  Their 
friendship,  nevertheless,  originated  in  arms.  The  renown 
of  Theseus  having  spread  widely  over  Greece,  Pirithoos 
became  desirous  not  only  of  beholding  him,  but  of  witness- 
ing his  exploits  ; he  accordingly  made  an  irruption  in  the 
plain  of  Marathon,  and  carried  off  the  herds  of  the  king 
of  Athens. 

On  receiving  the  information,  Theseus  went  to  repel  the 
plunderers.  The  moment  Pirithoos  beheld  him,  he  was 
seized  with  secret  admiration,  and  stretching  out  his  hand 
in  token  of  peace,  exclaimed,  “ Be  judge  thyself!  what 
satisfaction  dost  thou  require?”  Thy  friendship,”  replied 
the  Athenian,  and  they  thereupon  swore  eternal  fidelity. 

There  was  now  no  danger  too  great  for  Theseus  and 
Pirithoos  to  brave  ; none  that  could  separate  the  heroes. 
They  were  present  at  the  Calydonian  hunt,  and  both  took 
part  in  the  famous  conflict  between  the  Centaurs  and  Lapi- 
thae.  The  cause  of  the  contest  was  as  follows — Pirithoos 
having  obtained  the  hand  of  Hippodamia,  daughter  of 
A.drastos,  king  of  Argos,  the  chiefs  of  his  nation,  the  Lapi 
thae,  were  all  invited  to  the  wedding,  as  well  as  the  Centaurs 
who  dwelt  in  the  neighborhood  of  Pelion.  Theseus,  Her- 
cules, and  Nestor  were  likewise  present.  Heated  by 
wine,  the  Centaurs  began  to  quarrel  during  the  repast,  and 
threatened  to  carry  away  Hippodamia ; and  would  havo 


260 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


made  good  their  threat  but  for  Heracles  and  Theseus,  who 
valiantly  assisted  Pirithoos,  and  punished  the  haughty 
pride  of  the  Centaurs,  not  only  on  that  occasion,  hut  after- 
wards also  in  a regular  battle.  This  is  the  famous  battle 
between  the  Centaurs  and  Lapithse,  so  often  a subject  of 
poetry  with  the  ancients,  as  well  as  of  art. 

Like  faithful  comrades,  Theseus  and  Pirithoos  aided 
each  other  in  every  project,  and  the  death  of  Hippodamia 
having  subsequently  left  Pirithoos  free  to  form  a new  at- 
tachment, the  two  friends,  equally  ambitious  in  love,  re- 
solved each  to  possess  a daughter  of  the  king  of  the  gods. 
Theseus  fixed  his  thoughts  on  Helena,  the  daughter  of 
Zeus  and  Leda,  then  a child  of  nine  years  old.  The  friends 
succeeded  in  their  plan  of  carrying  her  off,  and  placing  her 
under  the  care  of  his  mother,  iEthra,  at  Aphidnse.  The- 
seus then  prepared  to  assist  his  friend  in  a bolder  and 
more  perilous  attempt ; for  Pirithoos  resolved  to  venture 
on  the  daring  deed,  of  carrying  away  from  the  palace  of 
the  monarch  of  the  under-world  his  queen,  Proserpina,  to 
take  vengeance  as  it  were  on  Pluto,  for  having  deprived 
him  of  his  wife,  Hippodamia.  There  is  a deep  sense  hid- 
den in  this  latter  fiction.  The  undertaking  was  one  which 
inevitably  involved  the  most  imminent  danger,  and  The- 
seus, faithful  to  his  friend  even  unto  death,  descended  with 
him 

“To  the  seat  of  desolation,  void  of  light.” 

They  descended  together  to  the  region  of  shadow ; but 
Pluto,  knowing  their  design,  seized  them,  and  placed  them 
upon  an  enchanted  rock,  at  the  gate  of  his  realm.  Here 
they  sat,  unable  to  move,  till  Heracles,  passing  by  in  his 
descent  for  Cerberos,  freed  Theseus  ; but  when  he  would 
have  done  the  same  for  Pirithoos,  the  earth  quaked,  atfd 
he  left  him.  Pirithoos,  therefore,  remained  everlastingly 
on  the  rock,  as  a punishment  for  his  audacious  attempt 
and  thus  death  separated  the  most  faithful  of  friends. 


THESEUS. 


2(51 


This  loss  was  the  forerunner  of  many  misfortunes  which 
afterwards  befel  Theseus,  embittering  the  rest  of  his  days. 
It  was  the  common  lot  of  heroes  to  end  their  lives  in  a 
tragical  manner,  and  from  this  Theseus  was  not  exempt. 

When  he  returned  to  Athens,  he  found  the  fickle  and 
ungrateful  people  excited  against  him  by  his  enemies,  and 
while  struggling  against  a public  enemy,  a domestic  foe 
arose  in  the  bosom  of  his  family.  After  Antiope’s  death, 
Theseus  married  Phaedra,  a daughter  of  Minos,  and  sister 
of  Ariadne.  Conceiving  a hatred  against  Hippolytos.  An- 
tiope’s  son,  she  preferred  a false  charge  against  him,  in  con- 
sequence of  which  he  lost  his  life.  When  Phaedra  heard 
of  the  fate  which  had  befallen  her  innocent  victim,  in  bit- 
ter repentance  she  put  an  end  to  her  own  life;  and  'The- 
seus, learning  too  late  the  innocence  of  his  son,  was  well 
nigh  driven  to  despair 

The  invasion  of  Attica  by  Castor  and  Pollux,  for  the 
recovery  of  their  sister,  Helena,  and  an  insurrection  of  the 
Pallantidae,  brought  on  Theseus  the  usual  fate  of  all  great 
Athenians — exile.  Oppressed  by  misfortunes,  as  well  as 
the  ingratitude  of  his  people,  he  banished  himself  from 
Athens,  uttering  before  he  went  on  board  the  ship  that 
was  to  take  him  to  a foreign  country,  the  bitterest  curses' 
against  the  Athenians.  The  place  where  this  occurred  was 
afterwards  called  the  place  of  imprecations. 

He  retired  to  the  isle  of  Scyros,  where  he  hoped  to 
spend  the  rest  of  his  days  in  quiet,  but  the  treacherous 
Lycomedes,  who  was  king  of  the  island,  feared  the  ene- 
mies of  Theseus,  and  violated  the  sacred  rites  of  hospitali- 
ty. Under  the  pretext  of  showing  his  guest  the  island,  he 
conducted  him  to  the  summit  of  a steep  rock,  and  hurled 
him  down  unawares. 

Long  after  his  death,  the  Athenians  built  temples  and 
altars  in  honor  of  Theseus,  and  revering  him  as  a demi- 
god. brought  offerings  to  his  altars,  and  instituted  festivals 


262  GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 

; 

to  his  memory.  They  also  obtained  his  bones  from  the 
island  of  Scyros,  and  interred  them  beneath  the  soil  of 
Attica. 

CASTOR  AND  POLYDEUKES  OR  POLLUX. 

(Ebalus,  a king  of  Lacedaemon, 
sprung  from  a scion  of  the  old  stem 
of  Inachos,  was  the  father  of  Tyn- 
dareos,  who  succeeded  him  in  the 
government.  Tyndareos  married 
Leda,  a daughter  of  Thestias,  king 
of  iEtolia. 

The  beauty  of  Leda  attracted  the 
eyes  of  Zeus  ; and,  descending  from 
his  Olympian  seat  under  the  dis- 
guise of  a swan,  he  took  refuge  in 
her  lap,  while  Aphrodite  was  pursuing  him  in  the  shape  of 
an  eagle.  According  to  the  common  legend,  Leda  pro- 
duced t^o  eggs  : from  the  one  came  Pollux  and  Helena, 
children  of  Zeus;  and  from  the  other,  Castor  and  Clytem- 
nestra,  children  of  Tyndareos.  The  former  were  immor- 
tal, the  latter  mortal. 

Notwithstanding  their  different  descent,  Castor  and  Pol- 
lux were  inseparable,  loving  one  another  as  dear  brothers 
and  friends.  Both  were  valiant  and  glowed  with  heroic 
fire,  and  both  were  skilled  in  every  bodily  exercise ; with 
this  difference  only,  that  Castor  was  pre-eminent  in  the  art 
of  riding  and  managing  horses,  and  Pollux  in  wrestling. 

They  were  contemporaries  of  the  most  renSwned  heroes, 
and  accompanied  the  Argonauts  in  their  expedition  to 
Colchis.  On  their  way  thither  Pollux  slew  Amycus,  a son 
of  Poseidon,  in  single  combat.  It  was  also  in  this  voyage 
that,  in  the  midst  of  a dreadful  storm,  two  flames  were 
seen  hovering  over  the  heads  of  Castor  and  Pollux,  where- 
upon the  storm  abated.  In  remembrance  of  this,  when- 


CASTOR  AND  POLYDEUKES  OR  POLLUX.  263 


ever  fires  appeared  to  seamen  in  boisterous  weather,  they 
were  called  Castor  and  Pollux,  and  considered  as  a sure 
sign  of  health  and  safety.  Nay,  the  Dioscuri  (or  twin 
sons  of  Zeus,  under  which  name  Castor  and  Pollux  are 
generally  designated)  were  revered  above  all  other  deities 
as  benign  beings,  ever  present  to  those  who  were  in  dan 
ger,  and  ready  to  aid  them — and  were  addressed  in  ever) 
emergency,  on  land  as  well  as  at  sea,  by  the  prayers  of  such 
as  stood  in  need  of  assistance. 

After  their  return  from  the  expedition  to  Colchis,  they 
were  informed  that,  during  their  absence,  Theseus  had 
ravished  their  sister,  Helena,  and  delivered  her  to  the  care 
and  custody  of  his  mother,  iEthra,  in  Aphidnse  Castor 
and  Pollux  conquered  the  city,  delivered  their  sister,  and 
took  with  them  the  mother  of  Theseus  as  prisoner  ; they, 
however,  committed  no  violence  in  the  besieged  city,  or  in 
the  whole  territory  of  Attica.  This  forbearing  benignity, 
which  attends  the  heroic  deeds  of  the  Dioscuri,  is  proba- 
bly the  chief  reason  why  mortal  men  afterwards  looked 
up  to  them  with  truth  and  confidence,  as  to  friendly-assist- 
ing genii. 

The  fidelity,  likewise,  with  which  these  inseparable  bro- 
thers assisted  each  other  in  dangers,  rendered  them  an 
object  of  love  and  veneration  to  mankind  ; and  their  fra- 
ternal friendship  is  indeed  one  of  the  most  beautiful  cir- 
cumstances which  fiction  has  interwoven  into  the  records 
of  the  splendid  heroic  age. 

When  Castor  and  Pollux  sued  for  the  daughters  of 
Leucippus,  Phoebe  and  Ilaira,  each  of  them  was  obliged  to 
win  his  bride  by  a combat  with  a rival — Castor  with  Lyn- 
ceus,  and  Pollux  with  Idas,  the  sons  of  Aphareus.  Castor, 
being  mortal,  was  conquered  and  slain  by  Lynceus.  Al- 
though Pollux  avenged  his  brother’s  death  on  Lynceus, 
and  fought  with  Idas  also,  until  the  latter  was  struck  by 
a thunderbolt  from  Jupiter,  yet  he  could  not  awaken  his 


2G4 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY 


beloved  brother  from  death.  He  then  implored  Jupiter 
either  to  deprive  him  also  of  life,  or  allow  his  brother  tc 
share  his  immortality.  Jupiter  gave  him  his  choice,  and 
Pollux  descended  one  day  to  his  brother,  in  the  abode 
of  the  shades,  in  order  to  enjoy  life  with  him  on  the  next, 
under  the  light  of  the  sky. 

Human  love  and  veneration  often  dedicated  temples  and 
altars  to  the  Dioscuri.  Imagination  frequently  presented 
them  to  mortals,  when  in  imminent  dangers  ; they  then 
appeared  in  the  form  of  two  youths  on  white  horses,  ar- 
rayed in  shining  armor,  and  bearing  little  flames  or  stars 
upon  their  heads.  And  thus  they  were  commonly  repre- 
sented in  works  of  art,  either  riding  side  by  side,  or  stand- 
ing near  together,  their  spears  bent,  the  stars  sparkling  on 
their  heads,  and  each  holding  a horse  by  the  bridle.  The 
egg  shaped  caps  allude  to  the  manner  of  their  birth. 

JASON. 

Jason  was  a shoot  of  the  heroic  stem  of  JEolu's,  but  not 
the  son  of  a god ; and  Juno,  while  she  persecuted  the  sons 
of  Jupiter,  took  him  under  her  especial  protection. 

iEolus,  Deucalion’s  grandson,  who  reigned  in  Thes- 
saly, was  the  father  of  Salmoneus,  Sisyphos,  Athamas, 
and  Cretheus.  Salmoneus  was  killed  by  Jupiter’s  light- 
nings ; Sisyphos  atoned  in  the  lower  world,  for  the  tyranni- 
cal exercise  of  his  power  while  on  earth ; and  Athamas 
died  in  a state  of  madness. 

Tyro,  a daughter  of  Salmoneus,  became  the  mother  of 
Pelias  and  Neleus,  sons  of  Neptune.  Afterwards  marrying 
her  father’s  brother,  Cretheus,  she  gave  him  a son  called 
iEson,  who  succeeded  his  father  on  the  throne,  and  was 
the  parent  of  Jason,  the  god  like  hero,  whose  mother’s 
name  was  Alcimede. 

iEson  was  dethroned  by  his  brother  Pelias,  but  was  not 
obliged  to  fly  from  the  city  of  Iolcos,  which  was  the  seat 


JASON. 


26o 


of  the  Thessalian  kings.  Of  young  Jason,  however,  Pelias 
was  anxious  to  rid  himself ; considering  him  as  a member 
of  the  legitimate  royal  family  who  might  become  dangerous 
to  him.  The  parents  of  the  child,  iEson  and  Alcimede, 
perceiving  the  intention  of  the  tyrant,  spread  the  rumor 
that  Jason  was  sick,  and  soon  after,  that  he  had  died  At 
the  same  time,  he  was  taken  by  his  mother  to  Mount  Pe- 
lion,  where  the  wise  Centaur,  Cheiron,  well  versed  in  every 
science,  devoted  himself  to  the  education  of  the  young 
hero,  sheltering  him  in  his  lonely  grotto. 

When  Jason  had  attained  his  growth,  and  manful  cour- 
age began  to  awaken  in  his  breast,  following  the  advice  of 
an  oracle,  he  threw  the  skin  of  a panther  over  his  shoul- 
ders, armed  himself  with  a couple  of  darts,  and  went  to 
the  court  of  Pelias,  at  Iolcos. 

Pelias  had  received  an  oracle,  guarding  him  against  a 
person  who  would  one  day  appear  before  him  with  only 
one  sandal,  having  the  other  foot  bare.  When  Jason,  on 
his  way  to  Iolcos,  was  going  to  pass  the  river  Anauras,  J uno 
appeared  to  him  in  the  shape  of  an  old  woman,  and  entreat- 
ed him  to  carry  her  over  the  river.  Jason  readily  complied 
with  the  request,  but  on  going  with  his  burden  through 
the  water,  he  lost  one  of  his  sandals  in  the  mud,  and  thus 
presented  himself  before  the  palace  of  Pelias.  On  per- 
ceiving him,  Pelias  recollected,  with  consternation,  the  sen- 
tence of  the  oracle. 

When  the  stranger  was  required  to  tell  who  he  was,  Jason 
demanded,  before  all  the  people,  the  royal  crown  which  the 
usurper  had  received  from  the  head  of  his  father,  iEson. 
“ The  revenues  of  the  kingdom,”  added  he,  “ thou  mayest 
keep  and  enjoy,  but  of  the  supreme  authority  thou  must 
divest  thyself.” 

Pelias,  being  enabled,  by  this  proposal,  to  penetrate  the 
soul  of  the  young  hero,  did  not  doubt  that  for  the  present 
he  might  avert  the  storm  which  was  pending  over  his  head; 


266 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


and  remove  the  lion,  by  offering  as  a bait,  the  enticing 
charm  of  an  extraordinary  as  well  as  a glorious  enterprise. 
He  therefore  feigned  a willingness  to  restore  the  crown 
to  its  rightful  possessor,  or  his  family,  provided  the  manes 
of  Phrixos,  another  descendant  of  iEolus,  who  had  found 
an  untimely  death  in  Colchis,  were  propitiated,  and  that 
golden  fleece  recovered  which  he  had  deposited  there. 

This  Phrixos,  who  died  in  Colchis,  was  a son  of  Atha- 
mas,  and  a grandson  of  JEolus.  Athamas,  king  of  Boeo 
tia,  had,  by  his  first  wife,  Nephele,  two  children,  Phrixos 
and  Helle ; but  after  Nephele’s  death,  Athamas  married 
Ino,  a daughter  of  Cadmos,  who  persecuted  these  two 
children,  and  even  resolved  to  deprive  them  of  life.  The 
shade  of  Nephele  then  appeared  to  her  children,  apprising 
them  of  the  danger  they  were  in  of  becoming  the  victims 
of  Ino’s  hatred,  uuless  they  would  seek  safety  in  distant 
flight ; and,  for  this  purpose,  a ram  with  a golden  fleece 
stood  ready,  which,  at  the  command  of  the  gods,  would  bear 
them  on  his  back  over  the  land  and  through  the  sea. 

Phrixos  and  Helle  mounted  the  ram,  which  carried  them 
towards  the  east  to  the  distant  country  of  Colchis,  where 
JEetes  reigned,  whose  father  was  the  sun.  But  they  were 
not  both  destined  to  reach  that  country ; for,  on  their 
journey,  Helle  fell  from  the  back  of  the  animal  into  the 
sea,  between  Sigeon  and  the  Chersonese,  and  was  drowned. 
This  sea  was  named  from  her  Hellespontos  (Helle1  s Sea), 
and  still  retains  its  name.  Her  brother  Phrixos  arrived 
safely  in  Colchis,  where  he  sacrificed  to  Zeus  Phyxios  the 
ram  which  had  borne  him  thither,  and,  as  a holy  token, 
suspended  the  skin,  or  golden  fleece,  in  a grove  sacred  to 
Ares.  He  then  married  the  daughter  of  iEetes,  but  soon 
died  in  a foreign  land. 

The  report  of  the  golden  fleece  which  had  spread  over 
the  earth,  had  for  a long  time  excited  the  desire  of  every 
one  who  wished  to  obtain  something  particularly  excellent 


JASON. 


267 


It  was  in  the  distant  east,  what  the  golden  apples  of  the 
Hesperides  were  in  the  west — a treasure  worthy  of  the 
greatest  toils,  pains,  and  perils.  The  image  of  the  ram, 
and  its  richly  covered  skin  generally  implies,  with  the  an- 
cients, the  idea  of  wealth ; and  this  probably  gave  rise  to 
the  fiction  of  the  golden  fleece,  involving  the  ideas  of  riches 
and  treasures,  as  well  as  the  means  of  gaining  them. 

The  miraculous  which  was  intermingled  with  the  tales  of 
the  golden  fleece,  and  the  adventures  that  were  connected 
with  an  expedition  to  a far  distant  land,  were  most  alluring 
calls  on  the  heroes  of  yore,  for  a trial  of  courage,  as  well 
as  of  fortune.  No  sooner  did  the  words  of  Pelias  touch 
the  ear  of  Jason,  than  his  ardor  was  excited  to  perform 
the  glorious  deed ; and,  pledging  his  word  to  bring  the 
treasure,  or  never  to  return,  he  invited  the  most  renowned 
heroes  of  Greece  to  embark  with  him  in  the  bold  adventure. 

For  making  the  voyage  to  Colchis,  a ship  was  built  of 
pines  cut  from  Mount  Pelion,  which,  although  larger  than 
any  other  previously  constructed,  moved  lightly  and  easily, 
and  was  therefore  called  the  Argo  [swift- sailing).  From 
her  name,  those  who  embarked  in  her  were,  called  Argo- 
nauts. 

The  mast  of  the  Argo  was  taken  from  the  forest  of 
Dodona,  where  the  oaks  were  endowed  with  the  power  of 
making  predictions  ; therefore,  the  ship  was  regarded  as  an 
animated  being,  in  concord  with  Fate,  to  which  a man  might 
commit  himself  with  confidence.  Among  the  number  of 
heroes  who  accompanied  Jason,  the  following  names  are 
most  conspicuous : Heracles,  the  son  of  Zeus  ; Castor  and 
Pollux,  the  Dioscuri ; Calais  and  Zetes,  sons  of  Boreas ; 
Peleus,  the  father  of  Achilleus  ; Admetos,  the  husband  of 
Alceste  ; Neleus,  the  father  of  Nestor  ; Meleagros,  the  Ca- 
lydonian  ; Orpheus,  the  divine  bard  of  Thrace ; Telamon, 
the  father  of  Ajax;  Menoetius,  the  father  of  Patroclos; 


268 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


Lynceus,  the  son  of  Aphareus ; Theseus,  the  Athenian, 
and  his  friend  Pirithoos,  the  Lapithsean. 

The  fathers  of  the  most  renowned  heroes  who  shone  in 
the  Trojan  war,  were  still  in  youthful  vigor  at  the  time  of 
the  voyage  to  Colchis.  A race  of  heroes,  they  advance 
with  their  united  force  to  recover  a precious  treasure ; 
afterwards,  a second  race  unites  to  avenge  the  robbery  of 
beauty  by  the  destruction  of  Troy. 

When  the  heroes  were  all  assembled,  fifty  in  number, 
the  auguries  being  favorable,  Jason,  standing  at  the  poop, 
poured  a libation  from  a golden  cup,  and  called  on  Zeus, 
the  Winds,  the  Sea.  the  Bays,  the  Nights,  and  the  Fate 
presiding  over  their  return.  Thunder  then  rolled  in  the 
clouds,  lightnings  flashed  through  the  sky  ; Orpheus 
struck  his  lyre  in  concert  with  his  voice,  and  the  joyful 
heroes,  each  grasping  an  oar,  kept  time  to  his  harmony. 
The  gods  looked  down  from  the  sky,  the  nymphs  of  Pelion 
gazed  in  wonder  at  this  first  of  ships,  and  Cheiron,  leaving 
his  mountain  cave,  cheered  them,  and  prayed  for  their 
happy  return.  The  piercing  eye  of  Lynceus  penetrated 
the  most  distant  regions,  and  the  experienced  pilot,  Tiphys, 
managed  the  helm  with  skilful  hands.  For  a time  all  things 
went  on  successfully;  when  suddenly  a dreadful  storm 
befel  the  adventurers,  and  forced  them  to  seek  refuge  in 
the  harbor  of  Lemnos. 

It  is  a remarkable  circumstance,  that  while  the  heroes 
were  struggling  against  the  raging  elements,  several  of 
them  made  a vow  to  consecrate  themselves,  by  becoming 
initiated  in  the  Samothracian  mysteries ; just  as  Heracles, 
when  about  to  engage  in  the  most  dangerous  enterprise, 
was  first  initiated  into  those  of  Eleusis. 

At  Lemnos,  a greater  danger  threatened  the  Argonauts 
than  that  caused  by  the  storm  which  drove  them  thither; 
for  the  charms  of  the  Lemnian  women  kept  the  heroes  in 


JASON. 


269 


bonds,  protracting,  for  some  time,  the  progress  of  their  voy- 
age to  Colchis. 

Not  long  before  the  arrival  of  the  Argonauts  at  Lemnos, 
the  female  inhabitants  had  murdered  all  the  males  of  the 
island,  except  king  Thoas,  who  was  secreted  by  his  daugh- 
ter Hypsipyle.  The  anger  of  Venus,  whom  the  Lemnian 
women  had  not  sufficiently  honored,  was  the  occasion  of 
this  atrocious  deed.  For  the  goddess  infused  into  the  men 
of  Lemnos,  who  were  at  that  time  warring  against  the 
Thracians,  an  invincible  dislike  to  their  wives,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  a preference  for  the  female  slaves  who  had  be- 
come their  prisoners  in  the  Thracian  war.  Such  an  insult 
the  women  of  Lemnos  could  not  bear  ; they  conspired,  rose 
hi  one  night  upon  their  sleeping  husbands,  fathers,  and 
brothers,  and  murdered  them  all.  Those  who  conducted 
the  war  in  Thrace  were  saved  by  their  absence. 

When  the  Argonauts  were  landing  at  Lemnos,  they  were 
at  first  opposed  by  the  women,  who  mistook  them  for  the 
Lemnians  returning  from  Thrace  to  avenge  the  death  of 
their  fellow-citizens.  But  as  soon  as  they  perceived  their 
error,  they  received  the  strangers  with  hospitality,  who 
remained  on  the  island  two  years. 

From  Lemnos  the  heroes  sailed  to  Samothrace,  where 
they  were  inspired  with  new  courage  by  their  initiation 
into  the  mysteries.  On  landing  near  Troas,  they  were 
abandoned  by  Heracles,  who  with  Telamon  went  into  the 
country  in  search  of  Hylas.  In  the  city  of  Oyzicus,  on  the 
descent  of  Mount  Dindymus,  where  the  Argonauts  next 
landed,  they  were  hospitably  received  by  the  king,  who 
bore  the  same  name  as  his  city,  and  who  dismissed  them 
with  presents.  But  the  night  after  their  departure,  when 
the  ship  was  forced  back  into  the  harbor  by  a storm,  king 
Oyzicus  mistook  the  heroes  for  enemies  and  attacked  them 
in  a hostile  manner.  In  this  fight,  Jason  had  the  misfor- 
tune to  kill  his  kind  and  friendly  host.  To  atone  for  this 


270 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


deed,  although  unintentional,  he  brought  offerings  on 
Mount  Dindymus  to  the  mother  of  the  gods,  and  built  & 
temple  there  to  her  honor.  The  Argonauts  then  pro- 
ceeded on  their  course,  and  steering  always  towards  the 
east,  arrived  in  Bebrycia,  where  the  royal  crown  was  worn 
by  Amycus,  who  challenged  every  stranger  to  fight  him 
with  clubs,  and  who  was  at  last  vanquished  and  slain  in  a 
combat  with  Pollux. 

On  their  further  course,  the  bold  navigators  were  driven 
near  the  coast  of  Thrace  by  a storm,  and  compelled  tc 
enter  the  harbor  of  Salmydessus,  where  the  prophesying 
Phineus  reigned,  whom  the  immortals  had  punished  with 
blindness.  To  complete  his  misery,  he  was  perpetually 
vexed  by  the  daughters  of  Thaumas,  the  direful  Harpies. 
Phineus  had  delivered  up  his  two  sons,  the  children  of 
his  first  wife,  a daughter  of  Boreas,  to  the  hatred  of  their 
stepmother,  Idaca,  and  at  her  calumnious  instigation,  had 
even  deprived  them  of  sight ; — a crime  which  he  was 
obliged  to  expiate  by  his  own  blindness,  while  the  Harpies, 
those  ghastly  birds  of  prey,  with  maiden  faces,  seized 
upon  his  food,  or  ruined  and  defiled  whatever  he  was  about 
to  partake.  Phineus  was  deprived  of  the  external  light, 
but  with  his  mental  vision  anticipated  the  future,  and  gave 
to  the  Argonauts  prudent  advice  concerning  their  further 
voyage  ; and  also  furnished  them  with  a guide  to  lead  them 
through  the  Cyanean  rocks,  or  Symplegades,  the  danger- 
ous passage  of  which  now  awaited  the  bold  navigators. 
Grateful  for  these  services,  the  winged  sons  of  Boreas,  Ca- 
lais and  Zetes,  by  their  swords  affrighted  the  Harpies  from 
Phineus’  table,  pursuing  them  as  far  as  the  Strophades, 
where,  at  the  command  of  the  gods,  they  stopped  their  pur- 
suit, and  returned  to  their  companions.  From  this  re- 
turn, those  islands  derived  their  name. 

The  Cyaneae,  or  Symplegades,  through  which  the  Argo 
nauts  were  obliged  to  sail,  were  two  immense  rocks,  im 


JASON. 


271 


mediately  opposite  each  other,  at,  the  entrance  into  the 
Black  Sea  ; and  which  seemed,  according  to  the  different 
directions  in  which  they  were  approached,  to  open  and  then 
again  to  close.  This  phenomenon  gave  rise  to  the  ancient 
fiction,  that  the  rocks  really  opened  and  closed  like  a pair 
of  scissors,  crushing  every  thing  that  happened  to  pass  be- 
tween them  as  they  were  moving  together.  Quite  natural, 
therefore,  is  the  subsequent  fiction,  after  the  Argonauts 
had  successfully  ventured  on  the  passage,  and  the  optical 
illusion  was  thus  discovered,  that  Neptune  had  made  the 
rocks  immovable. 

After  having  safely  passed  the  Symplegades,  the  heroes 
next  landed  in  the  territory  of  Lycus,  who,  being  by  birth 
a Greek,  gladly  received  the  strangers  from  his  native  land. 
Here  the  pilot  Tiphys  died,  and  his  place  was  succeeded 
by  Ancaeus  ; and  the  sacred  Argo,  after  having  long  sus- 
tained the  beating  of  the  briny  flood,  and  experienced 
many  a storm,  was  at  last  happily  conducted  into  the  long- 
ed for  harbor  of  Colchis.  It  was  here,  however,  that  the 
greatest  danger  awaited  Jason,  the  leader  of  the  expedi- 
tion ; a danger  which  could  hardly  be  avoided  without 
divine  assistance.  King  iEetes  received  the  strangers,  not 
in  a hostile  or  even  unfriendly  manner ; but  he  prescribed 
to  Jason,  who  demanded  the  restitution  of  the  golden 
fleece,  such  conditions  as  he  thought  could  not  be  complied 
with  ; for  to  the  dangers  which  he  had  planned,  the  most 
undaunted  hero  must  necessarily  succumb. 

In  order  to  gain  the  golden  fleece,  Jason  was,  in  the 
first  place,  to  put  two  fire-exhaling  bulls,  sacred  to  He- 
phaestos,  to  an  adamantine  ploughshare,  and  to  break  up 
with  them  four  acres  of  land,  sacred  to  Ares,  and  which 
had  never  before  been  ploughed.  Then  he  was  to  sow 
the  dragon-teeth  of  Cadmos,  which  yet  remained  in  the 
possession  of  zEetes,  in  the  newly-ploughed  furrows,  and 
the  armed  warriors  who  would  immediately  arise  from  the 


272 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


dreadful  seed,  he  must  kill  to  the  last  man.  This  done, 
he  was  at  last  to  fight  with,  and  conquer  the  dragon  that 
guarded  the  golden  fleece. 

Medeia,  a daughter  of  iEetes,  skilled  in  charms  and 
witchcraft,  had  scarcely  beheld  Jason,  when,  through  the 
influence  and  disposal  of  the  gods,  a tender  affection  for 
the  hero  was  raised  in  her  bosom,  which  soon  kindled  to 
a flame  of  the  most  violent  passion. 

Jason  went  to  the  temple  of  Hecate  to  supplicate  the 
mighty  goddess,  where  he  was  met  by  Medeia.  She  dis- 
closed her  love  to  him,  at  the  same  time  promising  her  as- 
sistance in  the  dangers  which  threatened  him,  and  her  pow- 
erful help  in  accomplishing  his  glorious  undertaking,  pro- 
vided he  would  swear  fidelity  to  her.  Jason  complied,  and 
Medeia,  reciprocating  the  oath,  rendered  the  hero  invinci- 
ble by  means  of  her  magical  incantations.  She  gave  him 
a stone  which  he  was  to  cast  among  the  warriors,  that 
would  spring  up  from  the  dragon-teeth,  and  also  herbs,  and 
a potion  for  lulling  to  sleep  the  dragon  that  guarded  the 
golden  fleece. 

On  the  following  day,  Jason,  surrounded  by  his  com- 
panions, appeared  on  the  field  of  Ares  in  the  presence  of 
the  king  and  a multitude  of  people  ; the  fire-breathing  bulls 
were  about  to  be  set  free,  and  the  hearts  of  the  assembled 
multitude  were  chilled  with  awe  and  expectation  ; a deadly 
silence  reigned,  and  all  eyes  were  anxiously  turned  upon 
the  hero,  who  alone  quietly  expected  his  fire-vomiting  foes. 
Fierce  and  snorting,  the  bulls  rushed  upon  him;  but  tho 
powerful  charm  with  which  Medeia  had  armed  him,  sud- 
denly made  them  tame  and  obedient ; without  resistance 
they  bent  their  necks  under  the  yoke,  suffering  J ason  to 
put  them  to  the  plough,  and  quietly  made  the  furrows  into 
which  he  sowed  the  dragon-teeth.  No  sooner  were  they 
scattered,  than  a harvest  of  armed  warriors  sprang  from 
the  ground,  all  of  them  turning  their  swords  against  Jason. 


JASON. 


273 


The  hero  then  following  the  directions  received  by  Medeia, 
flung  the  enchanted  pebble,  which  she  had  given  him  for 
that  purpose,  into  the  midst  of  the  thronged  crowd  of  his 
enemies  : this  stone  had  the  power  of  troubling  their  senses 
as  well  as  hardening  their  hearts,  causing  them  to  rise  furi- 
ously against  one  another,  until  the  ground  from  which 
they  had  just  sprung,  was  covered  with  their  slain  bodies. 

Before  the  king  and  people  could  recover  from  the 
amazement  into  which  this  spectacle  had  thrown  them, 
Jason  was.  already  hastening  towards  the  grim  guardian 
of  the  fleece,  to  lull  him  to  sleep.  He  succeeded,  and  after- 
wards killed  the  monster,  and  triumphantly  held  in  his 
hand  the  golden  fleece.  The  conqueror  then  returned 
with  his  companions  to  the  ship ; and  Medeia,  leaving  in 
nightly  silence  the  house  of  her  father,  followed  her  lover, 
and  went  on  board  the  Argo,  which  immediately  set  sail. 

iEetes,  soon  roused  by  the  discovered  flight  of  his  daugh- 
ter, went  himself  with  his  ships  in  pursuit  of  the  swift- 
sailing  Argo.  Near  the  mouth  of  the  Danube,  Medeia  de- 
scried the  sails  of  her  father,  and  to  save  herself  as  well 
as  her  lover  from  the  impending  danger,  she  adopted  a 
measure  both  cruel  and  desperate.  She  had  taken  her 
little  brother  Absyrtus,  as  a kind  of  hostage,  and  in  the 
present  emergency,  seeing  no  other  means  of  safety,  she 
killed,  and  cut  him  in  pieces,  planting  his  head  and  hands 
upon  a high  rock,  and  scattering  the  rest  of  his  members 
upon  the  shore,  with  the  view  of  retarding  her  father’s  pur- 
suit, or  of  inducing  him  to  desist  from  it  altogether.  In 
order  to  mark  this  horrible  deed  in  all  times  to  come,  sev- 
eral small  islands  in  that  region  were  afterwards  called 
Absyrtides. 

Medeia’s  expectation  was  realized.  Her  father,  first 
retarded  by  collecting  together  the  remains  of  his  unfor- 
tunate son,  afterwards  desisted  entirely  from  pursuit,  and 
the  Argonauts  quietly  proceeded  on  their  voyage.  Having 
12* 


274 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


received  advice  from  Phineus  not  to  return  to  their  native 
land  by  the  same  course  which  they  had  pursued  in  com 
ing  to  Colchis,  they  sailed  up  the  Danube ; “ and  when 
they  could  ascend  the  river  no  farther,  the  strong  heroes,” 
says  the  fiction,  “ took  up  their  lightly-built  vessel  on  their 
shoulders,  carrying  her  for  the  space  of  four  miles  over 
hills  and  dales,  as  far  as  the  Adriatic  gulf”  But  here, 
when  they  were  about  to  embark  again,  the  following  oracle 
was  heard  to  issue  from  the  mast  of  the  Argo  : “ You  are 
not  destined  to  reach  your  home  until  Jason  and  Medeia 
are  absolved  from  the  murder  of  Absyrtus,  after  having 
atoned  for  their  crime  by  a penalty  imposed  on  them.” 

With  a view  to  this  atonement,  the  Argonauts  entered 
the  port  of  iEaea,  the  abode  of  Circe,  a daughter  of  the 
sun,  and  sister  of  iEetes.  She,  however,  refused  to  absolve 
Jason  and  Medeia,  by  presenting  the  usual  offerings  to  the 
offended  immortals,  and  by  imposing  a penalty  on  the  crimi- 
nals ; but  announced  to  them,  that  they  could  not  blot  out 
their  guilt  until  they  had  reached  the  promontory  of 
Malea. 

Thence  the  bold  navigators  steered  towards  the  danger- 
ous straits  of  Scylla  and  Charybdis,  which  they  passed 
under  the  guidance  of  Hera.  By  the  persuasion  of  Or- 
pheus, they  escaped  the  danger  which  threatened  them 
from  the  Sirens,  and  happily  reached  the  island  of  the 
Phaeacians,  where,  however,  they  met  with  an  unexpected 
enemy.  After  the  funeral  obsequies  of  Absyrtus  had  been 
properly  celebrated,  the  Colchian  fleet,  which  had  desisted 
from  its  pursuit  at  the  mouth  of  the  Danube,  took  another 
way  to  intercept  the  fugitives ; and  here,  at  the  island  of 
the  Phaeacians,  it  was  stationed  to  watch  for  them.  The 
anger  of  the  Colchians  against  Medeia,  as  well  as  the  Ar- 
gonauts. having  in  the  mean  time  somewhat  abated,  they 
demanded  no  other  restitution  than  the  person  of  Medeia, 
provided  she  had  not  yet  been  married  to  Jason.  She 


JASON. 


275 


had  not  yet  been  made  the  wife  of  Jason,  but  the  king  of 
the  Phseaciaus  immediately  procured  a private  celebration 
of  the  matrimonial  rites,  announcing  to  the  Colchians,  on 
the  following  day,  that  his  guests,  Jason  and  Medeia,  were 
lawfully  married ; whereupon  the  former,  satisfied  with  the 
answer,  spread  their  sails  to  the  wind  and  steered  for 
Colchis. 

The  Argonauts,  after  having  taken  leave  of  their  friend- 
ly host,  the  king  of  the  Phaeacians,  endeavored  to  reach  the 
promontory  of  Malea,  when  suddenly  a storm  cast  them  on 
the  Libyan  Syrtes,  where  the  vessel  would  have  been  lost 
but  for  the  appearance  of  a Triton,  who,  for  the  reward  of 
a precious  tripod  which  Jason  carried  with  him  in  the 
ship,  promised  the  heroes  to  show  them  the  only  course  by 
which  they  could  escape.  After  having  received  the  tri- 
pod, at  the  sight  of  which  he  was  highly  delighted,  the  Tri- 
ton kept  his  word,  and  conducted  the  Argo  in  safety  out 
of  the  surrounding  S}7rtes.  Moreover,  he  presented  Euphe- 
mos,  one  of  the  Argonauts,  with  a clod  of  earth,  as  a pledge 
that  his  descendants  should  reign  in  Libya.  This  pledge 
was  afterwards  redeemed. 

Argo  at  last  reached  the  longed-for  promontory  of  Ma- 
lea, where  Jason  and  Medeia,  after  having  brought  rich 
offerings  to  the  immortal  gods,  obtained  absolution  of  their 
crime  committed  against  Absyrtus.  They  were  now,  ac- 
cording to  the  oracle  which  they  had  received  from  the 
oak  of  Dodona,  as  well  as  the  promise  of  Circe,  permitted 
to  expect  soon  to  reach  their  native  port.  And,  indeed, 
without  meeting  any  farther  accidents,  the  Argonauts  soon 
after  entered  the  harbor  of  Iolcos.  The  good  ship  Argo 
was  devoted  by  Jason  to  Poseidon,  on  the  isthmus  of  Cor- 
inth, from  whence  fiction  afterwards  transported  her  to  the 
vaults  of  the  sky,  where  she  shines  as  a glittering  constel- 
lation. 

The  golden  fleece  was  now  gained  ; but  the  purpose  for 


276 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


which  alone  Jason  had  exposed  himself,  as  well  as  his 
friends,  to  every  imaginable  danger,  was  frustrated  ; his 
father,  iEson,  having  in  the  mean  while  become  a de- 
crepid,  childish  old  man,  unable  to  reign,  or  to  enjoy  the 
glorious  feats  of  his  son. 

The  first  request,  therefore,  which  Jason  made  to  Me- 
deia,  was,  to  use  her  magic  powers  to  renew,  if  possible,  the 
mental  as  well  as  physical  abilities  of  bis  father.  Medeia, 
complying  with  her  husband’s  request,  infused  a new  juice 
of  life,  prepared  of  secret  herbs,  into  the  veins  of  the  old 
man,  so  as  to  make  him  sensible  of  the  return  of  his  gay 
youth  and  the  renewed  strength  of  life.  The  daughters 
of  Pelias  deprived  their  father  of  life  in  imitating  the 
work  of  Medeia,  so  that  ^Eson  now  reigned  undisturbed 
sole  king  of  Iolcos. 

Jason,  with  Medeia,  then  went  to  Corinth,  formerly 
called  Ephyra,  where  iEetes  had  reigned  before  going  to 
the  fertile  Colchis.  Medeia  took  possession  of  the  gov- 
ernment for  her  husband,  and  they  lived  there  quietly 
during  ten  years.  Behind  this  calm  of  peaceful  life,  how- 
ever, a dreadful  storm  was  lurking,  which  threatened  Jason 
with  a tragical  fate,  as  was  the  case  also  with  Heracles, 
Perseus  and  Bellerophontes. 

Weary  of  Medeia,  whom  he  alwaj^s  seems  to  have  secret- 
ly despised,  he  was  about  to  marry  Creon’s  royal  daughter, 
unmindful  of  the  revenge  of  despised  jealousy  or  disre- 
garded faith.  Medeia  feigned  patience  and  mildness,  en- 
during with  apparent  resignation  what  she  could  not  pre- 
vent : she  even  sent  to  the  bride  a costly  wedding  gar- 
ment. But  scarcely  had  the  latter  made  use  of  the  dancer- 
ous  present,  than  she  suddenly  felt  a consuming  fire  raging 
through  her  body,  which  produced  an  agonizing  death. 
Medeia,  giving  full  scope  to  revenge,  rained  fire~upon  Cre- 
on’s palace,  which  consumed  the  king  himself,  murdered 
her  two  children,  and  then  hastened  through  the  air  in  her 


MELEAGROS  OR  MELEAGER. 


277 


chariot  drawn  by  two  dragons,  leaving  Jason  to  grief  and 
aespair,  which  embittered  the  remainder  of  his  days. 

MELEAGROS  OR  MELEAGER. 

GEneus,  who  reigned  in  Calydon,  was  the  father  of  re- 
nowned children  ; of  Deianeira,  the  wife  of  Heracles  ; of 
Meleagros  and  Tydeus,  whose  valorous  son,  Diomedes,  en-  ^ 
gaged  with  the  gods  themselves  in  dangerous  combat  dur-l 
ing  the  siege  of  Troy.  (Eneus  had  the  misfortune  to  draw 
the  wrath  of  Artemis  upon  himself  as  well  as  his  country, 
by  having  forgotten  her  divine  personage,  while  he  brought 
thank-offerings  to  all  the  other  deities,  for  the  thriving 
growth  of  the  fruits  of  the  field. 

To  punish  him  and  his  subjects  for  this  offence,  the  god- 
dess of  the  forest  sent  a monstrous  boar  into  the  Calydo- 
nian  land,  which  wasted  the  fields,  and  threatened  death  and 
ruin  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  surrounding  country.  CEne- 
us,  anxious  to  subdue  this  monster,  desired  the  assistance 
of  the  strongest,  both  in  his  own  territories  and  those  be- 
yond them.  Thus  the  chase  of  Diana’s  Boar  again  united 
the  flower  of  the  Greek  heroes. 

To  hunt  the  Calydonian  Boar,  some  of  those  heroes 
again  assembled  who  had  shared  the  dangers  of  the  voyage 
to  Colchis.  The  most  renowned  of  the  Argonauts  who  as- 
sisted Meleagros  in  this  hunt,  were  Jason,  Castor  and  Pol- 
lux, Idas  and  Lynceus,  Peleus,  Telamon,  Admetos,  Piri- 
thoos,  and  Theseus.  To  this  noble  troop,  the  brothers 
of  Althaea,  the  wife  of  (Eneus,  and  daughter  of  Thestius 
who  reigned  in  Pleuron,  and  Atalanta,  the  daughter  of 
Schoeneus,  associated  themselves.  Atalanta,  like  Diana, 
had  devoted  herself  to  a state  of  virginity,  and,  like  her 
was  a lover  of  the  chase. 

Atalanta  first  wounded  the  boar  with  her  arrow  ; Me- 
leager then  cut  off  the  head  of  the  monster,  and  presented 
it  to  her  as  the  deserved  price  of  victory.  The  brothers 


278 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


of  Althaea  were  offended  by  this  preference  given  to  a 
woman,  and  disputing  the  prize,  took  it  from  Atalanta. 
Diana  setting  no  bounds  to  her  wrath,  kindled  the  spark 
of  anger  between  Meleager  and  the  sons  of  Thestius  into 
a flame,  that  burst  out  in  a bloody  fight,  and  gave  to  the 
Calydonian  chase  a tragical  termination. 

Meleager,  in  the  fray,  killed  the  two  brothers  of  his  mo- 
ther, who,  beholding  the  bodies  of  the  slain,  swore  to 
avenge  their  death,  even  on  her  own  son  An  easy,  too 
easy  means  of  vengeance  was  in  her  power  ; for  on  the  birth- 
day of  Meleager,  the  Fates  had  placed  a piece  of  wood  on 
the  hearth  near  the  fire,  with  the  hint  that  Althaea’s  new- 
born son  should  live  as  long  as  that  piece  of  wood  remained 
unconsumed.  Althaea  had  preserved  the  fatal  billet  as  a 
precious  treasure,  until  the  moment  when  she  was  pro- 
voked to  anger  by  the  death  of  her  brothers.  Then,  seiz- 
ing it  in  her  passion,  she  threw  it  into  the  blazing  fire.  As 
it  was  gradually  consuming  to  ashes,  Meleager  felt  his  body 
withering  away,  and  the  marrow  of  his  bones  drying  up, 
until  he  died  in  convulsive  agony.  Scarcely  had  Althaea 
heard  the  cruel  result  of  what  she  had  done,  than  repent- 
ing the  deed,  she  put  a period  to  her  own  life. 

CADMOS. 

Poseidon,  says  the  legend,  was  by  Libya  the  father  of  two 
sons,  Belos  and  Agenor ; the  former  reigned  in  Egypt,  and 
the  latter,  having  gone  to  Europe,  married  Telephassa,  by 
whom  he  had  three  sons,  Cadmos,  Phoenix,  and  Cilix,  and 
one  daughter,  Europa.  Zeus,  becoming  enamored  of  Eu- 
ropa,  carried  her  away  to  Crete ; and  Agenor,  grieved  for 
the  loss  of  his  only  daughter,  ordered  his  sons  to  go  in 
search  of  her,  and  not  to  return  until  they  had  found  her. 
They  went,  accompanied  by  their  mother,  and  by  Thasos,  a 
son  of  Poseidon.  Their  long  search  was  to  no  purpose,  for 
they  could  obtain  no  intelligence  of  their  sister ; and  fear* 


CADMOS. 


279 


mg  the  indignation  of  their  father  if  they  returned  with- 
out  her,  they  resolved  to  settle  themselves  in  various  coun- 
tries. Phoenix  therefore  established  himself  in  Phoenicia, 
and  Cilix  in  Cilicia;  Cadmos  and  his  mother  went  to 
Thrace,  where  Thasos  founded  a town,  calling  it  .after  him 
self. 

After  the  death  of  his  mother,  Cadmos  went  to  Delphi 
for  the  purpose  of  consulting  the  oracle  about  Europa. 
The  answer  was,  to  cease  from  troubling  himself  about  her, 
but  to  follow  a cow  as  his  guide,  and  to  build  a city  where 
she  should  lie  down.  On  leaving  the  temple,  he  went 
through  Pbocis,  and  meeting  a cow  belonging  to  the  herds 
of  Pelagon,  he  followed  her  through  .Boeotia  till  she  came 
to  where  Thebes  now  stands,  where  she  laid  herself  down. 
Wishing  to  sacrifice  her  to  Athena,  Cadmos  sent  his  com- 
panions to  the  fount  of  Ares  for  water ; but  the  serpent 
that  guarded  the  fount  killed  a greater  part  of  them. 
Cadmos  then  fought  the  serpent  and  destroyed  it ; by  the 
direction  of  Athena  he  sowed  its  teeth,  and  immediately 
a crop  of  armed  men  sprang  up,  who  slew  each  other, 
either  quarrelling  or  through  ignorance ; for  it  is  said 
that  when  Cadmos  saw  them  rising,  he  flung  stones  at  them  ; 
and  thinking  it  was  done  by  some  one  of  their  number, 
they  fell  upon  and  slew  each  other.  Five  only  survived  ; 
and  they  joined  with  Cadmos  to  build  the  city  of  Thebes. 

For  killing  the  sacred  serpent,  Cadmos  was  obliged  to 
spend  a year  in  servitude  to  Ares.  At  the  expiration  of 
that  period,  Athena  herself  prepared  a palace  for  him,  and 
Zeus  gave  him  Harmonia,  the  daughter  of  Ares  and  Aphro- 
dite. All  the  gods  assembled  in  Cadmeia,  the  palace  of 
Cadmos,  to  celebrate  the  marriage.  The  bridegroom  pre- 
sented his  bride  with  a magnificent  robe,  and  a collar,  the 
work  of  ITephmstos,  and  said  to  be  the  gift  of  the  divine 
artist  himself. 

Cadmos  endeavored  to  civilize  the  people  whom  he  had 


280 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


gathered  around  him,  and  to  whom  he  is  said  first  to  have 
communicated  letters,  brought  by  him  from  Phoenicia.  The 
date  given  for  the  settlement  of  this  colony  is  B.  0.  1550. 

The  offspring  of  Cadmos  and  Harmonia,  who  is  some- 
times called  Harmione,  were  Ino,  Agaiie,  Autonoe,  Semele, 
and  a son  named  Polydoros.  All  these  children  were  per- 
secuted by  an  inimical  fate,  or  the  hatred  of  Hera,  which 
rested  upon  their  father’s  house.  Semele,  the  mother  of 
Bacchos,  was  consumed  by  Zeus’  lightnings.  Agaiie  mar- 
ried Echion,  one  of  those  five  warriors  who  had  arisen  from 
the  dragon  teeth.  She  became  the  mother  of  Pentheus, 
who  opposed  the  worship  of  Bacchos,  and  was  torn  in 
pieces  by  his  own  mother,  and  the  other  votaries  of  the  god. 
Ino  was  persecuted  by  the  wrath  of  Hera,  because  she  had 
taken  care  of  young  Bacchos.  She  was  married  to  Atha- 
mas,  who,  seized  by  a sudden  fury,  dashed  their  first  son, 
Zearchus,  against  a rock,  and  then  pursued  the  hapless 
mother,  who  fled  with  her  younger  son,  Melicertes,  to  the 
very  verge  of  a rock  on  the  shore.  Ino,  with  her  son  in 
her  arms,  flung  herself  down,  and  both  were  henceforth 
numbered  among  the  deities  of  the  sea ; Ino  under  the 
name  of  Leucothea,  and  Melicertes  under  that  of  Palaemon. 
Both  were  worshipped  as  benign  beings,  who  assist  seafar- 
ing people  in  the  dangers  of  their  element.  Autonoe,  the 
fourth  daughter  of  Cadmos,  married  Aristaeos,  son  of  Apol- 
lo and  king  of  Arcadia.  He  was  said  first  to  have  taught 
man  how  to  manage  bees  and  raise  honey,  as  well  as  to  use 
the  milk  of  animals.  Autonoe  became  the  mother  of  Acti- 
on, who  was  punished  for  the  crime  of  beholding  Diana 
when  bathing. 

After  the  various  misfortunes  which  befel  their  chil- 
dren, Thebes  became  odious  to  Cadmos  and  his  wife,  and 
they  migrated  to  the  country  of  the  Enchelians ; who,  being 
harassed  by  the  incursions  of  the  Illyrians,  were  told  by 
the  craole,  that  if  they  made  Cadmos  and  Harmonia  their 


CADMOS. 


281 


leaders,  the}^  would  be  successful.  They  obeyed  the  god, 
and  the  prediction  was  verified.  Cadmos  became  king  of 
the  Illyrians,  and  had  a son  named  Illyrios. 

Cadmos  lived  with  Harmonia  to  his  latest  years ; and 
in  order  to  ascribe  to  them  a kind  of  immortality,  fiction 
suffers  them  at  last  to  be  transformed  into  serpents,  and 
sent  by  Zeus  to  the  Elysian  Plain ; or,  as  some  say,  they 
were  conveyed  thither  in  a chariot  drawn  by  serpents. 

When  Cadmos  left  Thebes,  he  placed  his  son  Polydo- 
ros  upon  the  throne.  Labdacos,  the  son  of  Polydoros,  mar- 
ried Nicteis,  the  daughter  of  Nycteus,  and  became  the 
father  of  La'ios.  At  the  time  of  his  father’s  death,  Laioa 
was  a minor,  and  therefore  his  uncle  Lycos  reigned  in  his 
place  over  Thebes. 

Antiope,  another  daughter  of  Nycteus,  beloved  by  Zeus, 
and  rejected  by  her  father,  fled  to  Epopeus,  king  of  Sicyon, 
who  married  her.  But  Lycos,  having  given  to  the  dying 
Nycteus  a solemn  promise  to  avenge  him  on  his  daughter, 
killed  Epopeus,  and  carried  Antiope  prisoner  to  Thebes, 
where  he  prepared  for  her  the  most  cruel  treatment,  by 
committing  her  to  his  wife,  Dirce. 

Antiope  had  borne  Jupiter  two  sons,  Amphion  and  Ze- 
thos,  who  were  brought  up  secretly.  As  soon  as  she  found 
means  to  escape,  she  hastened  to  her  sons,  bidding  them 
avenge  the  injury  of  their  mother.  Amphion  and  Zethos 
immediately  invaded  Thebes,  slew  Lycos,  expelled  Laios, 
and  fastened  Dirce,  by  whom  their  mother  had  been  so 
cruelly  treated,  to  the  horns  of  a wild  bull,  thus  devoting 
her  to  a painful  death. 

Amphion  then  built  the  walls  of  Thebes,  with  their  seven 
gates ; and  the  persuasive  eloquence  with  which  he  pre- 
vailed on  the  rude  inhabitants  to  assist  him  in  this  under- 
taking, has  been  veiled  by  fiction  in  the  fable,  that  he 
moved  the  stones  by  the  notes  of  his  lyre,  so  that  they  vol 


282 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


untarily  united,  and  formed  themselves  into  walls  and  tur- 
rets. 

After  the  death  of  Amphion  and  Zethos,  the  Thebans 
invited  the  expelled  Laios  to  take  charge  of  the  govern- 
ment, which  belonged  to  him  by  hereditary  right.  He  re- 
turned and  married  Jocasta,  a Theban  princess. 

GEDIPUS. 

It  had  been  predicted  to  Laios  that  he  should  have  a son 
who  would  be  the  murderer  of  his  father.  Therefore,  when 
Jocasta  became  the  mother  of  a son,  Laios  ordered  the 
child  to  be  exposed  in  a wild  desert.  The  servant  who 
was  intrusted  with  this  commission,  perforated  the  ankles 
of  the  child,  in  order  to  recognize  it,  if  it  should  ever  ap- 
pear. In  this  condition  it  was  found  by  Phorbas,  the  over- 
seer of  the  herds  of  king  Polybos,  who  reigned  in  Corinth. 
The  latter,  to  whom  Phorbas  delivered  the  hapless  infant, 
adopted  it,  and  from  its  swollen  feet,  gave  it  the  name  of 
(Edipus. 

The  foster-parents  of  (Edipus  kept  his  descent  carefully 
concealed  from  him,  so  that  until  he  approached  to  man- 
hood, he  believed  them  to  be  his  real  parents.  But  some 
doubts  having  been  raised  in  his  mind  as  to  his  birth,  he 
resolved  to  inquire  at  the  oracle  of  Apollo.  The  oracle, 
leaving  the  question  of  his  descent  untouched,  confined 
itself  to  the  warning  never  to  return  to  his  native  country, 
because  he  would  there  slay  his  own  father,  and  marry  his 
own  mother. 

To  escape  a fate  so  horrible,  (Edipus  voluntarily  ban- 
ished himself  from  Corinth,  which  he  supposed  to  be  his 
uative  land,  and  took  his  way  towards  Thebes.  Thus  went 
the  hapless  youth  directly  to  meet  that  doom  of  fate  which 
he  intended  to  avoid.  For  on  his  journey  he  encountered 
his  father,  Laios,  in  a narrow  pass,  accompanied  only  by 
his  herald.  Polyphonies.  (Edipus  was  ordered  to  give 


CEDIPUS. 


283 


way;  and  upon  his  refusal,  the  herald  killed  one  of  his 
horses,  which  so  exasperated  him,  that  he  slew  the  king 
and  Polyphontes.  He  was  unconscious  of  having  killed 
his  own  father,  but  he  thus  made  true  a part  of  the  oracle 
which  he  had  received  at  Delphi. 

Upon  his  arrival  at  Thebes,  (Edipus  found  the  Sphinx  in 
its  vicinity  ; a monster  in  the  shape  of  a lion,  with  the  head 
of  a maiden,  the  progeny  of  Echidna,  and  sent  by  Juno 
to  terrify  the  inhabitants  of  the  city  and  surrounding 
country.  The  monster,  lying  on  a steep  rock,  proposed 
this  riddle  to  all  who  passed  by  : u What  animal  is  it  that 
goes  in  the  morning  upon  four  feet,  at  noon  upon  two,  and 
in  the  evening  upon  three?”  Every  one  who  was  unable  to 
interpret  this  riddle,  was  hurled  into  the  abyss  by  the 
Sphinx,  and  hundreds  had  already  perished  in  this  way 
ere  (Edipus  arrived.  He  came  and  explained  the  riddle. 
^ Man,”  said  he,  “ as  a child,  in  the  morning  of  life,  creeps 
upon  hands  and  feet ; at  the  noon-tide  of  life,  when  strength 
dwells  in  his  members,  he  goes  upright  on  two  feet ; and 
in  the  evening,  when  old  age  has  stolen  upon  him,  he  needs 
a staff  for  his  support,  and  goes,  as  it  were,  upon  three  feet.” 

(Edipus  had  scarcely  spoken  the  last  words,  when  the 
Sphinx  flung  herself  down  from  the  rock  ; or,  according  to 
another  fiction,  she  was  killed  by  (Edipus. 

Lai'os  was  dead,  and  in  order  to  get  rid  of  the  monster 
that  desolated  the  country,  the  Thebans  had  promised  his 
widow,  together  with  the  throne  of  Thebes,  to  the  man  who 
should  be  able  to  unriddle  the  enigma  of  the  Sphinx.  To 
(Edipus  this  apparent  fortune,  envied  by  many,  was  des* 
tined,  and  thus  was  the  second  part  of  the  oracle  fulfilled 
without  mercy ; for  in  taking  Jocasta,  the  queen  of  Thebes, 
for  his  wife,  he  ignorantly  married  his  mother,  after  hav- 
ing slain  his  father.  His  hard  and  unfriendly  fate,  having 
drawn  a veil  over  all  these  horrors,  granted  him  yet  for  a 
short  time  the  enjoyment  of  life.  (Edipus  and  Jocasta 


284 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


had  two  sons,  Eteocles  and  Polyneices.  and  two  daughters, 
Antigone  and  Ismene  ; their  wretched  father  being  as  igno- 
rant of  his  own  fate,  as  of  the  future  destiny  of  his  chil- 
dren. 

Yet  the  days  of  this  happy  ignorance  drew  to  an  end. 
A wasting  pestilence  spread  itself  over  Thebes.  (Edipus 
himself  proposed  to  ask  the  oracle  whether  any  man  had 
drawn  down  the  wrath  of  the  gods  by  secret  crimes,  and 
whether  the  whole  land  was  suffering  for  the  misdeeds  of 
an  individual.  His  advice  was  followed,  and  the  dreadful 
sentence  fell  upon  himself.  He  determined  not  to  cease 
investigating  until  he  should  succeed  in  bringing  the  truth 
to  light,  or  in  setting  the  calumny  to  rest ; but  with  every 
inquiry,  the  horrible  story  developed  itself  with  additional 
evidence. 

When,  at  length,  every  doubt  had  vanished,  and  (Edipus, 
with  dreadful  certainty,  had  found  himself  guilty  of  the 
worst  crimes,  no  longer  able  to  bear  the  light  of  day,  he 
blinded  himself.  Thus  deprived  of  his  eyes,  he  wandered 
until  death  in  foreign  lands,  led  by  the  hand  of  his  daugh 
ter,  Antigone.  The  unfortunate  Jocasta  strangled  herself. 

Eteocles  and  Polyneices  succeeded  their  father  in  the 
government,  with  this  arrangement  : that  each  of  them 
should  enjoy,  by  turns,  the  supreme  power,  every  other 
year.  But  neither  could  they  escape  that  hostile  destiny 
which  hung  over  Thebes,  and  the  house  of  Cadmos. 

ETEOCLES  AND  POLYNEICES. 

These  two  brothers  became  victims  of  their  own  dis- 
cord, arising  from  envy,  and  the  desire  of  despotic  power 
Eteocles  first  entered  upon  the  government ; but  when  his 
year  had  expired,  he  refused  to  cede  the  royal  authority 
to  Polyneices  for  the  succeeding  year. 

Upon  this,  Polyneices  left  Thebes,  retiring  to  Adrastos 
the  ruler  of  Argos,  who  kindly  received  him,  gave  him  his 


THE  THEBAN  WAR. 


285 


daughter  in  marriage,  and  promised  to  defend  his  claim  to 
the  Theban  throne  to  the  utmost  of  his  ability.  Tydeus 
also,  the  son  of  (Eneus,  and  brother  to  Meleager,  came 
at  that  time  as  a fugitive  to  Adrastos,  and  to  him  the 
king  of  Argos  married  his  second  daughter. 

The  first  step  taken  by  Adrastos,  in  order  to  secure  for 
his  son-in-law  the  portion  of  authority  that  was  due  to 
him  in  Thebes,  was  to  send  Tydeus  to  Eteocles,  that  he 
might  prevail  on  the  usurper  to  share  with  his  brother  the 
throne  of  their  common  father.  But  before  he  could 
reach  Thebes,  Tydeus  was  treacherously  attacked  by  armed 
men,  who,  at  the  command  of  Eteocles,  lay  in  wait  for  him  ; 
and  he  returned  to  Argos,  after  narrowly  escaping  with 
his  life.  Upon  relating  this  treachery,  Adrastos  immedi- 
ately prepared  war  against  Eteocles. 

THE  THEBAN  WAR. 

Adrastos  and  his  two  sons-in-law,  Tydeus  and  Polynei- 
ces,  united  in  the  expedition  against  Thebes,  in  which  sev- 
eral other  heroes  were  eager  to  share  with  them  the  danger 
and  the  glory.  The  valiant  Capaneus  of  Messene  joined 
them,  and  Hippomedon,  a son  of  Adrastos5  sister  ; also  Par- 
thenopseos,  a handsome  and  brave  youth  from  Arcadia,  the 
son  of  Melanion  and  Atalanta. 

Amphiaraos,  the  husband  of  Eriphyle,  sister  of  Adras- 
tos, could  not,  for  a long  time,  be  prevailed  upon  to  take 
part  in  the  enterprise,  because,  anticipating  the  future,  his 
mind  foreboded  not  only  the  misfortune  that  awaited  the 
besiegers  of  Thebes,  but  also  his  own  inevitable  death. 
He  therefore  retired  to  a private  place,  where  he  con- 
cealed himself  from  Adrastos  and  Polyneices,  until  his 
wife,  bribed  by  the  latter  with  a costly  necklace,  discov- 
ered his  hiding-place,  and  thus  Amphiaraos  was  obliged 
to  embark  in  the  enterprise  against  his  will. 

The  leaders  in  this  expedition  were  seven  in  number : 


286 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


Adrastos,  Polyneices,  Tydeus,  Amphiaraos,  Capaneus,  Par 
thenopseos,  and  Hippomedon. 

On  their  way  to  Thebes  they  met  with  an  accident, 
which  involved  unfavorable  auspices.  Hypsipyle,  whose 
name  has  already  been  mentioned  in  the  history  of  the 
Argonauts,  was  compelled,  after  the  departure  of  Jason 
and  his  companions  from  Lemnos,  to  leave  her  home,  be- 
cause she  had  spared  the  life  of  her  father,  Thoas.  At  the 
sea-shore,  whither  she  had  fled  and  where  she  was  wan- 
dering, she  fell  into  the  hands  of  pirates,  who  sold  her  as 
a slave  to  Lycurgos,  king  of  Nemea,  and  there  she  was  em- 
ployed as  nurse  to  the  king’s  infant  son,  Opheltes. 

At  that  time  the  seven  heroes,  with  their  army,  were 
passing  through  the  dominions  of  Lycurgos,  and  found  the 
royal  daughter  of  Thoas  with  her  little  nursling  in  a wood. 
Hastening  to  point  out  a fountain  to  the  Greeks,  who  were 
suffering  from  thirst,  she  left  the  little  Opheltes  alone  on 
the  turf ; she  returned  again  to  the  child,  who,  in  the  mean 
time,  had  been  killed  by  a snake.  The  Greeks  were  con- 
founded at  this  accident,  but  celebrated  the  funeral  of  the 
child  in  a splendid  manner,  and,  under  the  name  of  Arche- 
morus,  instituted  sacred  games  in  his  honor,  which  were 
afterwards  periodically  repeated  at  Nemea. 

Having  completed  these  funeral  rites,  the  heroes  pro- 
ceeded on  their  way,  and  arrived  under  the  walls  of  Thebes. 
Here  the  seven  leaders  distributed  their  army  around  the 
seven  gates,  so  that  one  was  to  be  blocked  by  each  of  the 
heroes  with  his  troop,  and  thus  take  the  city,  if  possible,  by 
a regular  siege. 

To  oppose  each  of  the  leaders  in  the  army  of  Adras- 
tos,  Eteocles  placed  within  the  walls  one  whom  he  regarded 
as  his  equal:  against  Tydeus,  Melanippus ; against  Ca- 
paneus,  Polyphontes ; against  Hippomedon,  Iiyperbius ; 
Actor  against  Parthenopseos  ; Lasthenes  against  Amphia- 
raos j and  stationed  himself  against  his  brother,  Polyneices 


THE  THEBAN  WAR. 


287 


If  the  besiegers  were  animated  by  their  just  cause,  by 
hatred  against  the  usurper,  Eteocles,  and  by  confidence  in 
their  superior  power,  the  besieged,  on  the  other  hand,  were 
urged  to  the  most  desperate  struggle  by  a still  more  pow- 
erful motive — the  fear  of  hunger.  They  made  a furious 
sally,  and  a battle  ensued  equally  fatal  to  both  parties. 
Hippomedon  and  Parthenopaeos  fell  under  the  swords  of 
the  enemy  : Capaneus,  who  had  mounted  the  walls,  was 
killed  by  a flash  of  lightning  ; Tydeus  fell  under  the  hand 
of  Melanippus ; Eteocles  and  Polyneices,  the  two  unnatu- 
ral brothers,  killed  each  other  in  single  combat ; Amphi- 
araos  was  swallowed  up  by  the  earth  ; and  Adrastos  owed 
his  life  only  to  the  swiftness  of  his  good  steed,  Arion,  whose 
sire  was  the  ruler  of  the  waves. 

The  sovereignty  of  Thebes  now  devolved  on  Creon,  the 
brother  of  Jocasta.  He  ordered  the  corpse  of  Eteocles 
to  be  buried  with  the  usual  rites  and  due  honors ; but 
commanded,  on  pain  of  death,  that  the  bodies  of  Polyneices 
and  his  fallen  friends  should  remain  unburied,  a prey  to 
the  fowls  of  the  air. 

Antigone,  the  faithful  daughter  of  (Edipus,  prompted  by 
her  sisterly  love,  notwithstanding  the  interdict  of  Creon 
and  the  danger  to  which  she  exposed  her  life,  stole  out  of 
the  city  in  a moonlight  night,  and  with  her  own  hands  cov- 
ered the  body  of  her  brother  with  sand. 

Her  disobedience  to  the  command  of  the  tyrant  was  dis- 
covered, and  she  was  condemned  to  die  by  being  buried 
alive ; but  she  prevented  a public  execution  and  a cruel 
death  by  strangling  herself. 

Haemon,  Creon’s  son,  who  had  tenderly  loved  this  vic- 
tim of  his  father’s  cruelty,  upon  finding  Antigone  dead  in 
her  prison,  plunged  his  sword  in  his  breast ; neither  did 
Haemon’s  mother  survive  the  loss  of  her  beloved  son. 
Thus  stood  Creon,  bereft  of  all  who  had  been  related  to 
him  by  the  sacred  ties  of  nature,  accusing  his  destiny. 


288 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


In  the  mean  time,  Adrastos  had  solicited  the  assistance 
of  Theseus,  who  conquered  Thebes,  and  forced  the  inhabit- 
ants to  surrender  all  the  slain  bodies  that  belonged  to  the 
army  of  Adrastos,  in  order  to  their  interment  with  solemn 
funeral  rites. 

The  misfortunes  attending  this  war  were  insufficient  to 
extinguish  the  enmity  that  subsisted  among  the  sons  of 
the  fallen  heroes.  Ten  years  after,  it  burst  forth  in  a 
new  war,  which,  from  its  being  carried  on  by  the  descend- 
ants of  the  former  leaders,  was  called  the  war  of  the 
Epigones. 

Creon  was  succeeded  on  the  throne  of  Thebes  by  Lao- 
damas,  a son  of  Eteocles.  Thersander,  the  son  of  Poly- 
neices,  assisted  by  the  sons  of  those  heroes  who  were  slain 
in  the  former  war,  together  with  iEgialeus,  the  son  of 
Adrastos,  undertook  a new  expedition  against  Thebes,  con- 
quered Laodamas,  and  seized  upon  the  royal  authority,  of 
which  his  father  Polyneices  had  been  unjustly  deprived. 
Laodamas  fled  to  Illyria,  which  had  formerly  been  also 
the  asylum  of  Cadmos.  In  the  first  Theban  war,  Adrastos 
was  the  only  one  of  the  leaders  who  escaped  ; in  the  second, 
his  son,  iEgialeus,  was  the  only  one  who  fell. 

THE  PELOPIDiE. 

Pelops,  a son  of  that  Tantalos,  who,  after  having  been 
raised  by  the  gods  even  to  their  own  assembly,  was  hurled 
down  by  them  into  the  depths  of  Tartaros,  came  from 
Phrygia  to  (Enomaos,  king  of  Pisa,  by  whom  he  was  hos- 
pitably received.  Struck  by  the  charms  of  the  beautiful 
Hippodameia,  the  king’s  daughter,  Pelops  requested  her 
from  her  father  as  his  wife.  But  it  had  been  predicted  to 
(Enomaos  that  his  son-in-law  would  deprive  him  of  life ; 
and  he  therefore  proposed  to  every  suitor  for  his  daughter 
to  contend  with  him  in  the  chariot  race,  putting  to  death 
all  whom  he  overtook  in  the  course.  The  race  was  from 


THE  PELGPIDjE. 


289 


the  banks  of  the  Clarlios  in  Elis  to  the  altar  of  Poseidon, 
at  the  isthmus,  and  was  run  in  the  following  manner 
(Enomaos,  placing  his  daughter  in  the  chariot  with  the 
suitor,  gave  him  the  start ; he  then  followed  with  a spear 
in  his  hand,  with  which,  on  overtaking  the  suitor,  he  ran 
him  through.  Thirteen  had  already  lost  their  lives  when 
Pelops  appeared. 

“ In  the  dead  of  night,”  •says  Pindar,  “Pelops  went 
down  to  the  margin  of  the  sea,  and  invoked  the  god  who 
rules  it.  Suddenly  Poseidon  stood  at  his  feet ; and  ho 
conjured  him  by  the  memory  of  his  affection,  to  grant  him 
the  means  of  obtaining  the  lovely  daughter  of  (Enomaos, 
declaring,  that  even  if  he  should  fail  in  the  attempt,  he 
regarded  fame  beyond  inglorious  old  age.  Poseidon,  as- 
senting to  his  prayer,  gave  him  a golden  chariot,  and  horses 
of  winged  speed.” 

Pelops  then  went  to  Pisa,  and  by  alluring  promises  pre- 
vailed on  Myrtilcs,  the  charioteer  of  (Enomaos,  to  adjust 
the  king’s  chariot  in  such  a manner  that  it  would  break 
down  in  the  middle  of  the  course.  The  king  was  thrown 
out  and  lost  his  life,  when  Hippodameia  became  the  bride 
of  Pelops.  To  celebrate  the  wedding,  Poseidon  assembled 
the  Nereides  upon  the  strand  of  the  sea,  and  raised  a bridal 
chamber  of  the  waves,  which  arched  in  bright  curves  over 
the  marriage  bed. 

After  his  marriage  with  Hippodameia,  Pelops,  unwilling 
to  fulfil  his  promise  to  Myrtilos  for  the  aid  he  had  given 
him,  threw  him  unawares  from  a rock  into  the  sea,  which 
from  him  derived  the  name  of  Myrtoean.  One  misfortune 
after  another  followed  this  act  of  injustice  and  cruelty, 
although  the  power  of  Pelops  increased  to  such  a degree, 
that  the  whole  Peninsula  of  Greece  was  called  after  him 
Peloponnesus. 

Hippodameia  had  two  sons,  Atreus  and  Thyestes,  who 
btcame  jealous  of  their  father’s  affection  for  their  step-bro- 

12 


290 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


ther,  Chrysippos,  and  put  him  to  death.  Pelops  supposed 
Hippodameia  to  have  instigated  this  murder,  and  upon 
being  charged  with  it,  she  destroyed  herself,  and  her  two 
sons  fled  from  the  wrath  of  their  father. 

Atreus  went  to  Eurystheus,  king  of  Mycence,  who  re- 
ceived him  kindly,  and  gave  him  his  daughter  Areope  in 
marriage.  After  the  death  of  Eurystheus,  Atreus  mounted 
the  throne  of  Myceooe. 

Thyestes  followed  Atreus,  and  shared  his  brother’s  good 
fortune  ; but  soon  brought  reproach  and  misfortune  upon 
himself  by  his  own  misdeeds.  During  the  absence  of  Atre- 
us,  Areope  bore  two  sons  to  Thyestes.  As  soon  as  Atreus 
became  apprised  of  it,  he  expelled  them,  as  well  as  their 
father  from  his  dominions.  Thyestes.  breathing  revenge, 
contrived  to  get  a son  of  Atreus  into  his  power,  and  edu- 
cated him  as  his  own,  at  the  same  time  instilling  into  his 
youthful  heart  a deadly  hatred  against  his  father,  and 
finally  sent  him  away  to  commit  a murder  at  which  the 
Sun  veils  his  face. 

But  the  youth  was  unsuccessful  in  his  attempt,  and  upon 
the  discovery  of  his  design,  he  was  put  to  death  under  the 
most  cruel  tortures  ; and  Atreus  learned  too  late  that  by 
his  command  his  own  son,  instead  of  his  brother’s,  had  suf- 
fered a cruel  death  Atreus,  now  brooding  over  a still  deep- 
er revenge,  feigned  a reconciliation  with  his  brother,  and  by 
various  marks  of  affection  induced  him  to  come  to  Myce- 
nae and  bring  his  sons  with  him.  He  then  had  them  se- 
cretly murdered  and  their  flesh  served  up  on  the  table  at 
which  their  father  sat.  After  Thyestes  had  eaten  the  food 
prepared  for  him,  Atreus  cast  their  heads  and  hands  be^ 
fore  his  eyes.  “On  beholding  the  scene,”  says  the  fic- 
tion, “ the  Sun  swiftly  turned  back  his  course.” 

Thyestes  then  fled  to  Sicyon,  where  he  had  a son  by  his 
daughter  P dopia,  whose  name  was  iEgisthos,  who,  on  at- 
taining the  years  of  manhood,  murdered  Atreus,  and  ex- 


THE  PELOPID.E. 


291 


pelled  his  sons  Agamemnon  and  Menelaos  from  the  king 
dom,  when  Thyestes  usurped  the  royal  throne  of  Mycenae 

The  fugitive  sons  of  Atreus  found  a friendly  reception 
at  the  court  of  Tyndareos,  king  of  Lacedaemon,  where  each 
married  a daughter  of  their  host ; Agamemnon,  Olytein- 
nestra,  and  Menelaos,  the  beautiful  Helena,  who  after- 
wards brought  wo  throughout  Greece  and  destruction  on 
Troy.  The  two  brothers  avenged  the  death  of  their  father, 
Atreus,  and  once  more  expelled  Thyestes  from  Mycenae. 
Agamemnon  then  took  the  reins  of  government  in  his  fa- 
ther’s dominions,  while  Menelaos  succeeded  Tyndareos  in 
the  government  of  Sparta. 

Menelaos  and  Helena  had  no  children.  Agamemnon 
and  Clytemnestra  had  two  daughters,  Iphigeneia  and 
Electra,  and  one  son,  Orestes. 

When  Agamemnon  afterwards  took  the  chief  command 
of  the  army  destined  to  call  Troy  to  accouut  for  the 
offence  which  his  brother  Menelaos  had  suffered  from 
Paris,  forgiving  iEgisthos,  the  murderer  of  his  father,  he 
became  reconciled  to  him,  and  even  intrusted  him  with  the 
gare  of  Clytemnestra  and  his  house  during  his  absence. 
iEgisthos,  however,  abused  this  confidence,  misleading 
Clytemnestra  to  infidelity,  and  bringing  ruin  upon  her 
husband.  For  when  Agamemnon  returned  to  Mycenae 
affer  an  absence  of  ten  years,  to  enjoy  the  remainder  of  his 
days  in  quiet  and  domestic  happiness,  he  was  murdered  by 
JEgisthos  and  Clytemnestra. 

With  regard  to  the  children  of  Agamemnon,  Iphigeneia 
was  to  have  been  sacrificed  on  entering  upon  the  expedi- 
tion against  Troy ; but  was  rescued  by  Diana,  who  carried 
her  to  Tauris,  where  she  became  a priestess  in  her  temple. 
Orestes,  whose  life  was  threatened  with  great  danger  from 
the  hands  of  iEgisthos,  was  secretly  sent  by  his  sister  to 
Strophios,  king  of  Phocis,  and  the  husband  of  Agamem 


292 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


non’s  sister.  Electra  remained  at  home,  exposed  to  the 
abuse  of  an  unnatural  mother. 

After  the  death  of  her  husband,  Clytemnestra.  fearing 
neither  gods  nor  men,  married  JEgisthos,  and  put  the 
royal  crown  of  Mycenae  on  his  execrable  head.  But  Des- 
tiny had  already  decreed  the  punishment  of  that  guilty 
couple,  although  it  was  to  be  executed  only  by  the  means 
of  a new  crime. 

In  Orestes,  Agamemnon’s  son,  rose  an  avenger  both  of 
his  father’s  death  and  his  mother’s  infamy.  A false  report, 
intentionally  circulated,  had  announced  him  as  dead  ; and 
while  iEgisthos  and  Clytemnestra  rejoiced  in  the  thought 
of  being  rid  of  him,  Orestes  was  planning  their  destruction. 
As  soon  as  Orestes  felt  his  arm  strong  enough  to  meet  a foe 
with  his  sword,  he  went  to  Mycenae  and  slew  the  mur- 
derer of  his  father,  not  sparing  his  own  mother  who 
shared  in  the  crime.  But  on  account  of  this  horrible 
deed,  Orestes  was  punished  by  the  Furies  wherever  he 
went ; that  is  to  say,  his  conscience  would  not  allow  him 
any  rest,  and  suffered  him  not  to  be  reconciled  to  himself, 
until  he  went  to  Delphi  and  consulted  the  oracle  of  Apollo, 
which  promised  him  alleviation  of  his  torments  if  he  would, 
go  to  Tauris,  and  carry  the  statue  of  Diana  from  thence  tc 
Greece. 

Orestes  had  been  brought  up  with  Pylades,  the  son  of 
king  Strophios,  at  Phocis,  and  both  were  so  intimately  and 
inseparably  united  by  the  tie  of  friendship,  that  their  union 
became  proverbial  in  antiquity,  and  is  so  even  in  our  own 
times.  This  faithful  friend,  Pylades,  who  had  never  left 
Orestes  during  all  his  sufferings,  was  now  his  companion 
on  the  voyage  to  Tauris.  It  was  there  an  old  and  bar- 
barous custom  to  bring  human  offerings  to  Diana,  the  se 
vere  goddess  who  was  the  tutelary  deity  of  the  country 
and  whose  image  Orestes  was  to  carry  away.  Ore?tes  and 
Pylades  had  no  sooner  landed,  than  they  were  made  pris 


ACHILLEUS  OR  ACHILLES.  293 


oners,  and  doomed  to  be  for  ever  separated  by  the  sacrifice 
of  one  of  them  to  Diana.  In  the  trying  hour,  when  the 
sentence  of  the  high  priest  was  received,  each  of  the  friends 
offered  his  life  to  save  that  of  the  other.  A contest  that 
was  pleasing  in  th  3 sight  of  the  gods,  and  worthy  of  heav- 
enly assistance. 

Orestes  recognized  his  sister  Iphigeneia,  the  priestess  of 
Diana,  and  made  himself  known  to  her ; and  she  found 
means  not  only  to  bring  the  statue  of  the  goddess  on  board 
her  brother’s  ship,  but  also  to  rescue  both  the  friends  and 
fly  with  them  to  Greece.  The  oracle  of  Apollo  proved  true. 
The  Furies  ceased  to  torment  Orestes,  who  henceforth 
reigned  quietly  over  Mycenae,  and  the  wrath  of  the  gods 
which  had  borne  so  long  and  so  heavily  upon  the  house  of 
Pelops,  seemed  now  to  abate. 

ACHILLEUS  OR  ACHILLES. 

Achilles  wras  the  son  of  Peleus  (a  descendant  of  Zeus) 
aiyl  of  Thetis,  the  goddess  of  the  sea.  At  the  festivity  of 
their  marriage,  the  gods  brought  gifts,  the  Muses  sang, 
the  Nereides  danced,  and  Ganymedes  poured  forth  nectar 
for  the  guests. 

When  Achilles  was  born,  Thetis  plunged  him  in  the 
river  Styx,  which  made  him  invulnerable  in  every  part  ex- 
cept the  heel,  by  which  she  held  him.  And  in  this  heel 
he  received  a fatal  wound.  Achilleus,  like  the  other  he- 
roes, was  reared  by  the  wise  Centaur  Cheiron.  In  the 
Iliad  he  appears  as  one  of  the  most  prominent  heroes.* 


* For  the  story  of  the  Iliad,  see  large  edition. 


PART  FIFTH 


MYTHIC  FICTIONS. 


LETO  AND  THE  FROGS. 

While  wandering  from  place  to  place  with  her  children, 
Leto  arrived  in  Lycia.  The  sun  was  shining  fiercely,  and 
the  goddess  was  parched  with  thirst.  Seeing  a pool  of 
water,  she  knelt  down  by  it  to  drink,  when  some  clowns 
who  were  there  refused  to  allow  her  to  slake  her  thirst. 
In  vain  the  goddess  entreated,  representing  that  water  was 
common  to  ail,  and  appealing  to  their  compassion  for  her 
babes.  The  brutes  were  insensible,  and  not  only  mocked  at 
her  distress,  but  jumped  into  and  muddied  the  water.  The 
goddess,  though  the  most  gentle  of  her  race,  was  roused 
to  in  lignation ; and  raising  her  hands  to  heaven,  cried, 
“ May  you  live  for  ever  in  that  pool !”  Her  wish  was  in- 
stantly accomplished,  and  the  churls  were  transformed  into 

froorc. 

o 


PHAETHON. 

Phaethon  ( Gleaming ) was  a son  of  Helios  and  the 
ocean-nymph  Clymene.  Venus  intrusted  him  with  the 
care  of  one  of  her  temples.  This  distinguished  favor  of 
the  goddess  rendered  him  so  vain  and  aspiring,  that  Epa- 
phos,  a son  of  Zeus,  to  check  his  pride,  disputed  his  claims 


PHAETHON. 


295 


to  a celestial  origin  Phaethon,  to  refute  this  bitter  re- 
proach, resolved  to  know  his  true  origin  ; and,  at  the  insti- 
gation of  his  mother,  visited  the  palace  of  the  Sun,  to  beg 
that  Helios,  if  he  really  were  his  father,  would  give  him 
some  proof  of  his  paternal  tenderness,  and  convince  the 
world  of  his  legitimacy.  Helios  swore  by  the  Styx,  that 
he  would  grant  him  whatever  he  required  The  ambitious 
youth  instantly  demanded  permission  to  guide  the  solar 
chariot  for  one  day,  in  order  to  prove  himself  the  undoubt- 
ed progeny  of  the  Sun-god.  Not  daring  to  violate  the 
oath  by  Styx,  and  finding  entreaties  and  remonstrances 
unavailing  to  dissuade  him  from  his  perilous  enterprise, 
Helios  complied  with  his  wish,  and  Phaethon  courageously 
and  joyfully  mounted  the  chariot  of  the  Sun. 

No  sooner,  however,  did  the  celestial  coursers  discover 
that  they  were  guided  by  a feebler  hand  than  that  of  He- 
lios, than  they  disregarded  the  efforts  of  the  new  charioteer, 
and  leaving  their  usual  course,  now  approached  too  near 
the  heavens,  and  now  again  so  close  to  earth,  that  the  moun- 
tains began  to  blaze,  and  the  rivers  and  fountains  dried  up. 
Earth,  in  her  extremity,  besought  Jupiter  for  help.  En- 
raged at  the  presumption  of  this  new  driver  of  the  celestial 
horses,  Jupiter  struck  him  with  one  of  his  thunderbolts,  by 
which  he  was  precipitated  into  the  river  Eridanos.  There 
his  three  sisters,  the  Heliades,  or  daughters  of  the  sun, 
Lampetia,  Phaethusa,  and  iEgle,  who  tenderly  loved  their 
brother,  lamented  his  loss  so  long,  that  at  length  the  gods 
were  touched  with  compassion  for  their  grief,  and  changed 
them  into  poplar  trees.  Their  tears,  which  still  continued 
to  flow,  became  amber  as  they  dropped  into  the  stream. 

Cycnos,  also,  the  chosen  friend  of  the  ill-fated  Phae- 
thon, lamented  his  death  on  the  banks  of  the  Eridanos,  till 
his  form,  dissolved  in  tears,  was  changed  to  that  of  a swan, 
which  always  remained  on  the  water  that  swallowed  his 
beloved  friend. 


296 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


PHILEMON  AND  BAUCIS. 

In  Phrygia,  as  a beautiful  ancient  tale  relates,  Jupiter 
laid  aside  his  thunderbolts  and  Mercury  his  caduceus,  and 
assuming  the  form  of  wayfarers,  wandered  in  disguise 
among  men,  in  order  to  try  their  characters  and  actions. 

One  evening,  when  as  weary  travellers  they  sought  for 
hospitality,  the  doors  of  the  rich  were  closed  against  them. 
At  length  they  approached  the  abode  of  Philemon  and 
Baucis,  a pious  couple,  but  poor,  and  already  advanced  in 
years,  and  in  their  humble  cottage  they  were  received  with 
hospitality  and  kindness.  The  gods  were  served  with  a 
supper  such  as  the  cottage  afforded,  and  the  wine  bowl 
being  spontaneously  replenished,  the  quality  of  the  guests 
was  revealed. 

The  guests  after  having  declared  themselves  to  be  Jupi- 
ter and  Mercury,  told  their  host  that  they  intended  to 
destroy  the  neighboring  town,  and  desired  them  to  leave 
their  dwelling  and  ascend  the  adjacent  hill.  The  aged 
couple  obeyed,  and  ere  they  had  reached  its  summit  they 
turned  round  and  beheld  the  waste  and  destruction  where- 
with the  gods  had  punished  the  hard-heartedness  of  the  in- 
habitants of  the  country.  The  houses  and  palaces  of  the 
rich  were  ruined  by  a deluge,  while  the  poor,  hospitable 
cottage  still  raised  its  roof  above  the  floods,  and  before  the 
astonished  eyes  of  its  late  inhabitants,  was  transformed 
into  a magnificent  temple. 

On  being  desired  by  Jupiter  to  express  their  wishes, 
they  prayed  that  they  might  be  appointed  to  officiate  in 
that  temple,  bringing  offerings  to  Jove,  the  patron  and 
rewarder  of  hospitality,  and  finally  be  united  in  death  as 
in  life.  Their  prayer  was  granted  ; and  as  they  were  one 
day  standing  before  the  temple,  they  were  changed  into 
trees,  an  oak  and  a lime.  These  trees  overshadowe  d the 
temple,  and  in  their  memory  wrere  long  afterwards  ^a'lec 
Philemon  and  Baucis. 


ORPHEUS. 


297 


In  this  and  similar  traditions  of  old,  the  dreadful  as 
wall  as  beneficent  power  of  the  deities  was  recognized. 
Altars  were  every  where  erected  to  Jupiter  Hospitalis. 
Strangers  arriving  at  any  place  where  they  were  destitute 
of  friends,  were  under  his  immediate  protection,  and 
guests  were  considered  as  sacred  and  inviolable  persons ; 
for  in  strangers  and  guests  the  celestials  were  revered, 
who  often  came  down  from  Olympos  in  human  form,  in 
order  to  mingle  among  mankind. 

ORPHEUS. 

Thrace  is  fabled  to  have  been  the  native  place  of  Orphe- 
us, son  of  Apollo  and  the  muse  Calliope  ; that  divine  bard, 
who,  by  his  song  and  the  tones  of  his  lyre,  tamed  the  fierce- 
ness of  forest  beasts,  moved  rocks  and  trees,  and,  like  a 
being  sent  from  heaven,  first  taught  mortals  to  isten  to  his 
harmonious  notes,  when  he  was  chanting  the  praises  Oi 
the  celestials.  The  divine  bard,  not  less  renowned  for  his 
wisdom  than  for  his  skill  in  poesy  and  music,  became  also 
the  founder  of  religious  mysteries. 

His  wife,  a nymph  named  Eurydice,  died  from  the  bite 
of  a serpent.  Orpheus,  disconsolate  at  her  loss,  determined 
to  descend  to  the  lower  world,  and  obtain  permission  fcr 
his  beloved  Eurydice  to  return  to  the  regions  of  ngn  . 
Armed  only  with  his  lyre,  he  entered  the  realms  of  Hades, 
and  gained  an  easy  admittance  to  the  palace  of  Pluto.  At 
the  music  of  his  “ golden  shell,”  to  borrow  the  beautiful 
language  of  ancient  poetry,  the  wheel  of  Ixion  stopped, 
Tantalcs  forgot  the  thirst  that  tormented  him,  the  VuHurs 
ceased  to  prey  on  the  vitals  of  Tityos,  and  Pluto  and  Pro- 
serpina lent  a favoring  ear  to  his  prayer. 

Eurydice  was  allowed  to  return  wP'  Orpheus,  on  con- 
dition that  he  should  not  look  c-  *k  a n until  she  had 
reached  the  higher  world,  and  again  beheld  the  light  of  day. 
But  when  they  had  nearly  attained  the  opening  above,  and 

13* 


^98 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


were  about  to  leave  the  gloomy  abode  of  the  shades,  tender 
anxiety,  and  doubt  whether  his  dear  companion  was  really 
following  him,  induced  Orpheus  to  look  back.  He  beheld 
his  wife  close  behind  him,  but  for  the  last  time.  Falling 
back  she  again  disappeared  in  the  nightly  darkness  of  Or- 
cus.  and  all  the  sweet  hope  of  Orpheus  vanished  like  a 
dream.  The  joy  of  life  was  now  for  ever  lost,  and  his 
lyre  was  silent. 

From  the  Thracian  mountains  resounded  the  ferocious 
clamor  of  the  Maenades,  at  a Bacchic  festival,  who,  angry 
at  the  bard  for  the  contempt  shown  to  them  by  his  sor- 
row for  Eurydice,  fell  upon  him  and  tore  him  to  pieces. 
Thus  Orpheus,  the  son  of  Apollo,  the  divine  poet,  musician, 
~nd  philosopher,  fell  a victim  to  the  frantic  fury  of  the  de- 
votees of  Bacchos. 


CUPID  AND  PSYCHE. 

One  of  the  most  charming  fictions  transmitted  to  us  fror_i 
antiquity,  is  that  of  Cupid  and  Psyche.  It  involves  the 
most  sublime  ;deas  of  life,  death,  and  immortality,  as  far 
as  we  may  look  for  such  ideas  among  the  religious  hea- 
thens of  ancient  times.  The  name  of  Psyche  signifies 
both  a butterfly  and  the  human  soul.  Therefore,  when 
represented  with  the  wings  of  a butterfly  attached  to  her 
shoulders,  Psyche  is,  as  it  were,  the  emblem  of  a tender 
spiritual  being,  who,  freed  from  the  coarser  covering  of 
her  chrysalis,  is  too  sublimated  for  this  lower  world,  and 
rises  to  a higher  existence,  where,  united  with  Love,  in 
sacred  and  mutual  marriage,  she  participates  in  that  b1is% 
which  the  immortals  themselves  enjoy.  This  fiction  forms 
the  veil,  which  in  a most  agreeable  manner  conceals  the 
terrors  of  the  lower  world. 

Psyche,  the  most  lovely  of  mortals,  was  the  daughter 
of  a powerful  monarch,  and  the  youngest  of  three  sister3. 
So  transcendent  was  her  beauty,  that  no  mortal  man  darad 


CUPID  AND  PSYCHE. 


299 


sue  for  her  hand ; and  her  father’s  subjects,  neglecting  the 
worship  ot  Venus,  raised  altars  to  Psyche.  Her  parents 
exulted  in  this  general  homage  paid  to  their  daughter,  and 
her  sisters,  somewhat  jealous  of  her  superior  beauty, 
pleased  themselves  with  the  thought  that  while  they  were 
married,  she  would  never  have  a husband.  Both  parents 
and  sisters,  however,  soon  found  themselves  disappointed 
in  the  anticipations  in  which  they  had  indulged.  The 
former  consulted  an  oracle  as  to  her  future  fate,  and  were 
commanded  to  array  their  daughter  in  festive  attire,  and 
then  conduct  her  as  if  to  her  burial  to  the  summit  of  a 
mountain,  and  there  to  abandon  her  till  her  destined  hus- 
band should  come  for  her. 

Venus,  resolving  to  revenge  herself  upon  the  innocent 
Psyche,  sent  Cupid  to  inspire  her  with  a passion  for  the 
ugliest  of  mortals.  But  Cupid  no  sooner  saw  Psyche,  than 
he  laid  aside  his  bow  and  arrows,  and  resolved  to  make 
her  his  wife.  For  this  purpose  he  went  to  Zephyros,  the 
god  of  the  west-wind,  and  Somnus,  the  god  of  sleep,  to  ask 
their  assistance.  No  sooner  did  Psyche  find  herself  alone, 
than  a profound  sleep  stole  over  her  senses,  and  then  she 
was  tenderly  raised  by  Zephyr,  who  carried  her  to  the 
abode  prepared  for  her  by  Love.  She  found  herself  trans- 
ported to  an  unknown  region,  but  the  most  eharming 
she  had  ever  seen.  A magnificent  palace,  surrounded  by 
beautiful  groves  and  beds  of  flowers,  was  at  her  disposal  j 
she  was  mistress  of  many  invisible  attendants,  by  whom 
her  commands  were  instantly  obeyed.  But  he  who  had 
bestowed  upon  her  this  delightful  abode,  she  was  not  per- 
mitted to  behold.  He  visited  her  only  at  night,  telling 
her  with  a sweetly-sounding  voice,  that  he  was  the  hus- 
band allotted  to  her  by  the  immortals,  at  the  same  time 
Warning  and  entreating  her  never  to  inquire  who  he  was, 
fox  jCon  she  would  for  ever  lose  his  love,  and  become  mis* 
erable. 


300 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


But  in  the  midst  of  a heavenly  happiness,  Psyche  longed 
to  see  her  parents  once  more,  or  at  least  her  sisters,  that 
she  might  dissipate  the  grief  of  her  family  on  account  of 
her  fate.  Her  husband,  seeing  that  all  the  entreaties  and 
remonstrances  with  which  he  endeavored  to  banish  this 
wish  from  her  heart  were  vain,  at  last  consented  that  she 
should  receive  a visit  from  her  sisters.  Zephyr  was  accord- 
ingly ordered  to  convey  them  to  Psyche’s  abode.  No 
sooner  had  they  arrived  and  beheld  the  happiness  which 
was  allotted  to  their  sister,  than  envy  filled  their  hearts, 
destroying  every  better  feeling ; and  after  having  heard 
the  particular  circumstances  under  which  Psyche  enjoyed 
her  matrimonial  happiness,  they  infused  into  her  mind  the 
suspicion  that  her  husband  must  be  a hideous  monster, 
because  he  dreaded  to  be  seen.  Their  malevolence  even 
went  so  far  as  to  persuade  their  sister,  by  every  possible 
art,  to  transgress  the  positive  commands  of  her  husband, 
and,  by  the  use  of  a dagger,  to  rid  herself  of  the  monster 
when  buried  in  sleep. 

The  sisters  were  carried  away  by  Zephyr,  and  poor 
Psyche,  whose  mind  was  agitated  by  contending  passions, 
resolved  at  last  to  follow  the  malevolent  counsel  which 
they  had  given  her.  When  Night  had  expanded  her  wings 
over  her  blessed  abode,  and  her  husband  was  buried  in 
repose,  she  took  the  lamp,  and  a dagger  which  she  had  con- 
cealed, and  stepped,  with  fainting  knees  and  a trembling 
hand,  to  the  couch  of  the  unknown.  But  instead  of  the 
monster  whom  she  had  expected  to  see,  she  beheld  the  most 
beautiful  of  the  immortals,  Cupid,  God  of  Love!  8 he  at- 
tempted gently  to  withdraw  the  lamp,  but  her  h^nd  trem- 
bled, and  a drop  of  hot  oil  fell  on  the  goi  s shoulder.  Cu- 
pid started  up  from  his  sleep,  and  beholding  his  wife,  with 
a lamp  and  dagger,  cast  a look  on  the  wretched  Psyche,  in 
which  rage,  scorn,  and  pity  were  intermingled.  Re  then 
mounted  on  his  wings,  never  e ore  to  return. 


CUPID  AND  PSYCHE. 


301 


When  Psyche  felt  that  she  had  lost  the  love  and  es- 
teem of  her  adored  husband,  despair  took  possession  of  her 
mind,  and  she  attempted  to  put  a period  to  her  existence. 
She  threw  herself  into  the  neighboring  stream,  but  the  riv- 
er-god feared  Love,  and  gently  carried  her  to  the  opposite 
bank.  Here  she  met  with  Pan,  who  endeavored  to  console 
her  by  the  prediction  that  she  was  destined  at  a future  f 
period  to  be  once  more  happy.  f 

Psyche’s  sisters,  who  had  anticipated  the  consequences 
of  their  fatal  counsel,  and  who  now  wished  to  succeed 
their  unfortunate  sister,  placed  themselves  one  after  the 
other  on  the  summit  of  the  mountain,  from  which  Psyche 
had  been  carried  away,  hoping  that  Zephyros  would  convey 
them  to  the  wished-for  residence ; but  being  hurled  into 
the  abyss  by  sudden  blasts  of  wind,  they  atoned  by  their 
deaths  for  the  envy  and  treachery  which  they  had  dis- 
played towards  their  innocent  sister. 

Poor  Psyche  overran  the  whole  earth  in  search  of  her 
lost  husband.  But  finding  all  her  endeavors  vain,  she  at 
last  took  the  resolution  of  applying  to  Venus,  and  implor- 
ing mercy  from  her.  Venus,  incensed  with  the  fair  sup- 
pliant, because  she  had  charmed  Cupid,  and  because  of 
her  celestial  beauty,  received  her  with  reproaches,  impos- 
ing upon  her  the  severest  tasks,  the  performance  of  which 
seemed  impossible.  Psyche,  however,  assisted  by  benefi- 
cent beings,  whom  Cupid,  who  still  loved  her,  sent  to  her 
aid,  surmounted  all  difficulties ; yet  for  a long  time  she 
was  obliged  to  suffer  the  consequences  of  her  imprudence, 
until  she  was  again  thought  worthy  of  her  forfeited  hap- 
piness. At  last,  she  was  ordered  by  Venus  to  descend 
into  Orcus  itself,  and  to  fetch  from  Proserpina  a box  con- 
taining the  highest  charms  of  beauty.  Psyche- obeyed  the 
command  of  the  cruel  goddess,  and  set  out  on  the  dreadful 
enterprise,  despairing  of  success  ; but  the  voice  of  hex  in- 


302 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


visible  protector  and  guide  taught  lier  every  necessary 
precaution,  and  warned  her  of  every  danger. 

Provided  with  a cake  to  tame  the  fury  of  Cerberos,  and 
a sum  of  money  to  gain  the  good-will  of  Charon,  she  ven 
tured  down  to  the  gloomy  regions,  and  arrived  safely  at 
the  palace  of  Proserpina.  The  desired  box  was  delivered 
to  her,  but  with  a strict  injunction  not  to  open  it.  Psyche, 
who  had  surmounted  so  many  difficulties,  and  sustained 
with  heroic  fortitude  so  many  trials,  suffered  herself  to  be 
overpowered  by  this  last.  Scarcely  had  she  left  the  do- 
minions of  Pluto,  when  curiosity  and  vanity  induced  her  to 
open  the  box.  She  was  instantly  involved  in  a black  and 
noxious  vapor,  which  threw  her  into  a deep  sleep,  from 
which  she  would  never  have  risen,  had  not  Cupid,  her  in* 
visible  protector,  hastened  to  her  assistance.  He  restored 
her  to  life,  collected  the  vapor  again  into  the  box,  and  con- 
ducted his  beloved  Psyche  safely  to  the  throne  of  Jove, 
there  proclaiming  her  as  his  lawful  wife,  and  supplicating 
for  her  admission  among  the  immortals.  Jupiter  com- 
plied with  his  request,  endowed  her  with  immortality,  and 
Venus  became  reconciled  to  her  beauteous  daughter-in- 
law.  The  Hours  shed  roses  through  the  sky,  the  Graces 
sprinkled  the  halls  of  Heaven  with  fragrant  odors,  Apollo 
played  on  his  lyre,  the  Arcadian  god  on  his  reeds,  the 
Muses  sang  in  chorus,  while  Venus  danced  with  grace  and 
elegance,  to  celebrate  the  nuptials  of  her  son.  Thus  the 
celestials  celebrated  the  second,  the  heavenly  marriage  of 
Cupid  and  Psyche. 

TRITON. 

According  to  Hesiod,  Triton  was  a son  of  Poseidon  and 
Amphitrite,  who  '4  keeping  to  th  bottom  of  the  sea,  dwelt 
with  nis  niothe  ard  'CZjil  lather  in  a golden  house.* 
Later  po$ts  made  him  hu.  lather’s  trumpeter.  He  was 
also  multiplied,  and  we  read  of  Tritons  in  the  plural  num- 


CENTAURS. 


303 


ber.  Like  the  Nereides,  the  Tritons  were  degraded  to  the 
fish-form. 

OTOS  AND  EPHIALTES. 

The  Aloeids,  Otos  and  Ephialtes,  were  also  sons  of  Po- 
seidon. In  their  ninth  year,  they  were  nine  cubits  in 
width,  and  nine  fathoms  in  height.  At  this  early  age  they 
undertook  to  make  war  upon  Zeus ; and,  in  order  to  reach 
the  heavens,  they  strove  to  place  Mount  Ossa  upon  Olym- 
pos,  and  Pelion  upon  Ossa  ; but  (to  use  the  graphic  lan- 
guage of  Homer)  u they  were  destroyed  by  Apollo  before 
the  down  had  bloomed  beneath  their  temples,  and  had 
thickly  covered  their  chins  with  a well-flowering  beard.” 
According  to  the  animated  narrative  of  the  same  bard, 
they  would  have  accomplished  their  object  had  they  made 
the  attempt,  not  in  childhood,  but  after  having  “ reached 
the  measure  of  youth.” 

CENTAURS. 

The  Centaurs  were 
* tribe  of  Thessaly, 
fabled  to  have  been 
half  men  and  half 
horse,  and  are  always 
mentioned  in  connec- 
tion with  the  La- 
piths.  The  former 
are  twice  spoken  of 
in  the  Iliad,  under 
the  name  of  Wild- 
men , and  once  in  the 
Odyssey.  They  ap- 
pear to  have  been  a rude,  mountain  tribe,  dwelling  on 
and  about  Mount  Peiion. 


304 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


ATALANTA. 

lasos,  oi  Iasion,  a descendant  of  Areas,  was  married  to 
Olymenc,  a daughter  of  Minyas.  He  was  anxious  for  a 
male  offspring,  and  therefore,  disappointed  at  her  birth,  he 
exposed  the  babe  in  the  mountains,  where  she  was  suckled 
by  a bear,  and  at  last  found  by  some  hunters,  who  named 
her  Atalanta,  and  reared  her.  She  followed  the  chase,  and 
was  alike  distinguished  for  beauty  and  courage.  The  Cen- 
taurs, Rhcecos  and  Hylaeos,  approaching  her  with  evil  in- 
tentions, perished  by  her  arrows.  She  distinguished  her 
self  in  the  Calydonian  hunt,  and  at  the  funeral  games  of 
Pelias,  she  won  the  prize  in  wrestling. 

Atalanta  was  afterwards  recognized  by  her  parents 
Her  father  wished  her  to  marry,  to  which  she  consented, 
on  condition  that  her  suitors  should  run  a race  with  her, 
promising,  if  she  should  be  vanquished,  to  become  the 
wife  of  the  victor ; but  the  vanquished  suitor  should  be 
shot  by  one  of  her  own  darts.  As  she  was  almost  invinci- 
ble in  running,  many  of  her  suitors  perished  in  the  contest. 

Hippomenes,  venturing  to  enter  upon  this  dangerous 
race,  implored  the  assistance  of  Aphrodite,  who  presented 
him  with  three  golden  apples,  which,  one  after  another,  he 
let  slip  from  his  hands  during  the  course  Atalanta,  whose 
eyes  were  dazzled  by  the  glitter  and  beauty  of  this  golden 
fruit,  repeatedly  stopped  to  take  it  up  from  the  ground,  and 
thus  Hippomenes  gained  time  to  reach  the  goal  before  her. 

Atalanta  became  the  wife  of  Hippomenes;  but  unmind- 
ful of  the  benefit  which  he  owed  to  Aphrodite,  both  were 
obliged  t:  atone  for  his  offence  against  the  goddess.  Upon 
her  impulse,  they  profaned  a sanctuary  of  Cybele,  who, 
with  formidable  power,  transformed  them  into  two  lions 
that  under  one  yoke  drew  her  chariot. 


IX10N  ANP  SISYPHO* 


305 


ARACHNE. 

A Maeonian  maid,  named  Arachne,  proud  of  her  skill 
in  weaving  and  embroidery,  in  which  arts  the  goddess  of 
wisdom  had  instructed  her,  ventured  to  deny  her  obliga- 
tion, and  challenged  her  patroness  to  a trial  of  skill. 
The  goddess  changed  her  into  a spider. 

TANTALOS. 

Tantalos,  the  favorite  of  the  gods,  was  admitted  to  their 
table,  where  he  feasted  on  nectar  and  ambrosia,  which  made 
him  immortal. 

He  once  so  far  forgot  himself  as  to  offend  Jupiter  with 
some  intemperate  language,  and  was  immediately  plunged 
from  the  height  of  happiness  to  the  immeasurable  depths 
of  misery.  The  punishment  of  Tantalos  was  everlasting 
hunger  and  thirst,  while  at  the  same  time  he  saw  the  clear 
flood  rising  to  his  lips,  but  receding  as  soon  as  he  attempted 
to  taste  it,  and  the  branch  loaded  with  fruit  hanging  over 
his  head,  but  was  never  able  to  grasp  it. 

IXION  AND  SISYPHOS. 

Ixion,  who  reigned  in  Thessaly,  was  subjected  to  a fate 
similar  to  that  of  Tantalos.  He  was  expelled  from  Olym- 
pos,  and  when  he  had  the  temerity  to  boast  on  earth  of 
what  he  had  attempted  in  heaven,  Zeus  precipitated  him 
into  Tartaros,  where  Hermes  fastened  him  with  brazen 
bands  to  an  ever-revolving  fiery  wheel. 

Sisyphos,  like  the  Dana'ides,  was  condemned  to  perform 
an  endless  task.  Hades  required  him  to  roll  a huge  rock 
up  a mountain,  a never-ending,  still  beginning  toil ; for  as 
soon  as  he  has  nearly  reached  the  top,  and  rejoices  in  the 
hope  of  being  permitted  to  rest  from  his  hard  labor,  the 
rock,  in  spite  of  all  his  endeavors,  rolls  back  again  to  the 
plain. 


306 


GRECIAN  AND  ROMAN  MYTHOLOGY. 


MIDAS. 

Pan,  favorite  of  Midas,  king  of  the  Phrygians  in  Mace 
donia,  wished  also  to  compete  with  Apollo  in  the  art  of 
which  the  latter  was  master.  Pan  commenced  the  contest, 
and  Midas  repeated  his  songs  with  enthusiasm,  regardless 
of  his  celestial  rival,  when,  to  his  surprise,  the  latter  felt  a 
pair  cf  ears,  long  and  shaggy,  pressing  through  his  hair. 
Alarmed  at  this  phenomenon.  Pan  fled.  The  prince,  deso- 
late at  the  lore  cf  his  favorite,  made  his  wife  the  confidante 
of  his  misfortujj,  begging  her  not  to  betray  his  trust. 
She  longed  to  tell  the  secret,  but  dared  not,  for  fear  of 
punishment : and,  by  way  of  relief,  sought  a retired  and 
lonely  spot;  where  she  threw  herself  upon  the  ground,  and 
whispered,  u King  Midas  has  the  ears  of  an  ass.  King 
Midas  has  the  ears  of  an  ass.” 

Not  long  after  her  visit,  some  reeds  arose  in  this  place, 
and  as  the  wind  passed  through  them,  they  repeated, 
“ King  Midas  has  the  ears  of  an  ass.”  Enraged,  no  less 
than  terrified  at  this  occurrence.  Midas  sacrificed  to  Bac- 
chos,  who,  to  console  him,  desired  him  to  ask  whatever  he 
wished.  According  to  his  desire,  every  thing  he  touched 
turned  to  gold,  even  his  food  and  drink.  He  then  prayed 
to  Bacchos  to  deliver  him  from  the  plague.  Bacchos  di- 
rected him  to  wash  in  the  river  Pactolus,  and  hence  that 
river  has  golden  sands. 

MERCURY  AND  HERSE. 

As  Mercury  met  the  maidens  that  were  carrying  the  sa- 
cred baskets  to  the  temple  of  Minerva,  he  beheld  Herse, 
the  beautiful  daughter  of  Cecrops.  Admiring  her  charms, 
he  resolved  to  have  her  for  a wife,  and  for  that  purpose  en- 
tered the  royal  abode,  where  dwelt  the  three  sisters,  Aglau- 
ros,  Paudrosos,  and  Herse.  Mercury  was  first  met  by  Ag- 
lauros,  who  felt  great  displeasure  at  his  preference  for  her 


NARCISSOS.  ACTION. 


307 


sister.  He  entreated  her  good  offices,  which  she  promised 
on  condition  that  he  would  reward  her  with  a large  quan- 
tity of  gold,  and  immediately  drove  him  from  the  palace  till 
he  should  obtain  it. 

Minerva,  incensed  at  the  cupidity  of  Aglauros,  and 
provoked  with  her  also  for  other  causes,  sent  Envy  to  fill 
her  bosom  with  that  baleful  passion.  Unable  then  to  en- 
dure the  happiness  of  her  sister,  she  sat  down  at  the  door, 
determined  not  to  permit  the  god  to  enter.  He  besought 
her  to  admit  him,  but  his  eloquence  was  vain.  At  length, 
provoked  by  her  obstinacy,  he  turned  her  into  a black  stone. 

NARCISSOS. 

The  beautiful  youth  Narcissos  was  son  of  the  river-god 
Cephissos,  and  the  sea-nymph  Liriope. 

According  to  Pausanias,  Narcissos  had  a sister  of  re- 
markable beauty,  to  whom  he  was  tenderly  attached.  She 
resembled  him  in  features,  was  similarly  attired,  and  ac- 
companied him  in  the  hunt.  She  died  young,  and  Nar- 
cissos, deeply  lamenting  her  death,  frequented  a neighbor- 
ing fountain  to  gaze  upon  his  own  image  in  its  stream. 
The  strong  resemblance  that  he  bore  to  his  sister  made  his 
own  reflection  appear  to  him,  as  it  were,  the  form  of  her 
vvaorn  he  had  lost.  The  gods  looked  with  pity  upon  his 
£:.:rwf.  and  changed  him  to  the  flower  that  bears  his  name. 

ACTION. 

Actaeon  was  the  son  of  Aristceos  and  Autonoe,  daughter 
of  Cadmos.  He  was  reared  by  Cheiron,  and  becoming 
passionately  fond  of  the  chase,  passed  his  days  chiefly  in 
pursuit  of  wild  beasts  that  haunted  Mount  Cithoeron.  One 
Mil  try  day  as  he  was  rambling  alone,  he  chanced  to  surprise 
Artemis  and  her  nymphs  while  bathing.  The  goddess, 
ire  msed  it  his  intrusion,  threw  some  water  upon  him,  and 
ohanyed  lim  into  a stag.  She  also  inspired  with  madhes3 
die  fifty  dogs  that  attended  him,  who  devoured  their  master. 


INDEX 


THE  LATIN  NAMES  ARE  IN  ITALICS. 


46, 


AbsyrtGs,  - 
AchelGos,  - 
Acheron,  - 
Acherusia, 
Achilles, 
AchilleuSj 
Acis,  - 
Acrisios, 
ActaeGn,  - 
Actor,  - - 
AdmGtos,  - 
Adonis,  - 
Adrastos,  - 
AEacos, 

.®aea,  - - 
AEetes, 
AEgeus,  - 
iEgialeus, 
iEgis,  - - 
AEgisthos, 
^Egle,  - 
^Egyptos,  - - 
Aello,  - - - 
AEneias,  - - 
AEolos,  - - 
AEsculapius,  - 
ASsGn,  - - - 
AEstas,  - - 
ASthra,  - - 
Agamemnon, 
Agaue,  - - 
AgGnGr,  - - 
Aglaia,  - - 
Ajax,  - - - 
Aides  - - - 
Alcathoe 
Alcaeos, 
AlcGstis, 
AlcimGde, 
AlcmGna,  46, 
Alcyoneus,  - 
Aie^fc  - - 


31, 


- 46, 


PAGE 

- 273 
44,  235 
34,  100 

- 103 
146,  293 
154,  293 

- 36 
214,  218 
123,  30 

- 288 
123,  267 

- 169 

- 259 

249,  284 

- 274 

250,  271 
251,255 

- 283 

- 157 
290,  291 
206,  295 

- 213 

- 37 
37,  87 

59,  265 

- 205 
264,  276 

- 197 
253,  260 

- 291 

- 280 
46,  213 

- 198 

- 267 

- 98 

- 244 
219,  223 

- 235 

- 265 
211,249 

- 41 

- 31 


Aloeids,  - 

Alpheios,  - 

Althea, 

Amaltheia, 

Amazons, 

Ambrosia, 

Amicitia,  - 

Amphiaraos, 

Amphictyon, 

AmphiGn, 

Amphitrite, 

AmphitryGn, 

Amycos,  - - 
Anaxo,  - - 
Ancaeos,  - - 
AnchisGs, 
AndrogeGs,  - 
Andromeda,  - 
Anteia,  - - 
Antaeos,  - - 
AnterGs,  - - 
Antigone,  - - 
AntiopG,  - - 
Aphareus, 
AphroditG, 

ApollG,  121, 
Arachne,  - - 
Areiopagos,  - 
AreopG,  - - 
ArGs,  - 140, 
Arethusa,  - - 
ArgGs,  - - - 
ArgG,  - - ■ 
Argonauts, 

Argos,  - - 
Argus,  - - 
Ariadne,  - - 
Arion,  - - 
Aristaeos,  - 


PAGE 

177 

- - 44 

- - 277 

- - 61 

- 222,  231 

- - 68 

- - 209 

- - 285 

- 59 

- - 281 

■ - 36 

127,211, 
[219,  223 
262,  270 

- 223 

- 271 

- 169 
250,  251 

- 217 

- 221 

- 235 

- 198 
284,  287 
261,  281 

- 263 
123,  145, 

[165 
173,  180 

- 30 
30,  140 

- 290 
272,  279 

31,45 

- 41 

- 267 
136,  262, 

[267 
46.  82 

- - 48 
250,  252 

95,  287 
240,  2SC 


Aristippc, 
Artemis,  - 
Ascalaphos, 
AsclGpios,  - 
Asteria, 
Asterion,  - 
Astraea, 
Astraeos,  - 
Atalanta,  - 
AtG,  - - 
Athamas,  - 
Athena, 
Atlantides, 
Atlas,  - - 
Atreus, 
Atropos,  - 
Augeas, 
Aurora, 
xXutonoe,  - 
Autumnus, 
Avernus,  - 


?1GB 

- - 244 

• 134,  145 

- - 142 

- - 206 

- - 50 

- - 250 

- - 195 

- 52 

- 277.  30 

- - ' 225 

- 243,  264 

- - 145 

- - 52 

52,  53,  214 

- - 289 

- - 25 

- - 23C 

- - 49 

- - 28C 

- - 197 

- - 101 


Bacchos,  - - 
Bacchantes,  - 
Baucis,  - - 
Bellerophon,  - 
BellerophontGs, 
Dellona , 

Belos,  - 
Bia, 

Boeotia, 

Boreas, 
BriareGs, 
BrontGs, 
Busins, 


242 
247 
296 
220 
220 
140,  144 
46,213 

- 52 

- 279 
49,  267 

- 41 

- 41 

- 235 


Cabeiii, 
Cacus, 
Caamos.  - 
Caduoeus,  - 
Calais,  - - 

Calliope..  - 


- 163.  186 

- - 235 

- 242,  278 

- - 179 

- 267 
200,291 


INDEX 


309 


PAGE 

Callir 1 oft,  - - 39 

Calydonian  Chase,  259, 
f 277 


CaKpJ),  - 

- - 52 

CamencE , - ■ 

- - 199 

Canephores,  ■ 

- - 151 

Capaneus, 

- - 285 

C^rpo,  - - - 

■ - 197 

Cassiopeia,  ■ 

■ - 217 

Castor,  - - 

■ - 262 

Cecrops,  - 

58,  149 

Cel  aero,  - • 

■ - 37 

Centaurs. 

259,  30 

Cephalos,  - - 

■ - 224 

COphe^s,  - - 

- 217 

Cerber  >s,  39, 

101,  233 

Cercy<  n,  - - 

- 255 

Ceres , 62,  68, 

105,  ISO 

Ceto,  - - - 

- 221 

Chaos  - - - 

- 19 

CharO  i,  - - 

34,  101 

Chari  ijs,  - - 

- 193 

Chan  idis, 

- 274 

Chim  era,  - 39,  40,  221 

CheirOn,  - - 

- 205 

Chrysaor,  - - 

39,217 

Chrysippos,  - 

- 290 

Cilix,  - - - 

269,  279 

Cithaeron, 

- 31 

Circe,  - - 

- 274 

Clio,  - - - 

- 201 

Clotho,  - - 

- 25 

ClymOnO,  - - 

52,  294 

Clytemnestra, 

262,291 

Cocalos,  - - 

- 252 

Cocytus,  - - 

- 100 

Ccel-us , - - - 

- 43 

Coios,  - - - 

41,50 

Coinus,  - - 

- 208 

Connidas,  - - 

- 253 

Consualia, 

95 

Cons  us,  - - 

- 95 

Corybantes, 

163,  186 

Cottos,  - - 

41,68 

CreOn,  41,  224, 

276,  237 

Cretheus,  - - 

- 264 

Crios,  - - 

41,  49 

Cromedon, 

- 41 

Cromyonian  Swine, 

[254 

Cupido , - - 

197,  298 

Curetes,  - - 

61,  186 

CybelS,  - - 

- 92 

Cycnos,  - - 

241,  295 

Cyclopes,  - - 

- 41 

Cytheraea, 

- 168 

Cyzicus,  - - 

- 269 

PAGE 


Daedalos,  - 

_ 

- 251 

Damast&s, 

- 

- 255 

Danae, 

- 

46,  214 

Danaides,  - 

- 

102,  177 

Danaos,  - 

- 

46,  213 

Daphne,  - 

- 

- 30 

Daphnephoria, 

- 126 

Dardanos, 

- 

- 203 

Deianeira, 

- 

- 235 

Deino, 

- 

- 38 

Delphi, 

- 

- 129 

DOmOter,  - 

- 

- 105 

Demogorgan, 

- 22 

Deucalion, 

- 

58,  250 

Diana,  45,  134, 180,  229 

Dike,  - - 

- 

- 196 

Diom&dOs, 

_ 

156,  231 

Dione,  - - 

- 

123,  165 

Dionysos,  40, 

177,  242 

Dionysia,  - 

- 

- 246 

Dioscuri,  - 

- 

- 263 

DircS,  - - 

- 

- 281 

Doris,  - - 

. 

- 35 

Dryades,  - 

- 

- 42 

Dryas,  - - 

- 

- 243 

Echidna,  - 

_ 

- 39 

Echion,  - 

_ 

- 280 

Egyptos,  - 

- 

- 46 

Electra, 

- 

37,  291 

ElectryOn, 

- 

- 219 

Eleus,  - - 

- 

- 224 

Eleusis,  - 

116,  119 

Elysian  Fields, 

- 103 

Encelados, 

_ 

- 41 

Endymion, 

- 

- 139 

EnyO, 

- 

38,  140 

Eos,  - - 

- 

- 49 

Eosphoros, 

- 

- 49 

Epaphos,  - 

- 

46,  213 

Ephesus,  - 

- 

- 140 

Ephialtes, 

- 

- 30 

Epigones, 

- 

- 288 

Epimetheus, 

- 

52,  54 

EpOpeus, 

- 

- 281 

Erato,  - - 

- 

- 201 

Erebos, 

_ 

- 99 

Erichthonios 

- 164 

ErigonS,  - 

- 

- 244 

Erisichthon, 

_ 

- 112 

ErOs,  - - 

- 

19,  197 

ErymanthianBoar,  229 

Erinnyes, 

- 

29,  101 

EriphylS,  - 

- 

- 285 

Erytheia,  - 

- 

- 31 

EteoclOs,  - 

- 

- 284 

Euades,  - 

- 

- 247 

PA-ir  } 


Euenos,  - - 

- 236 

Eueres,  - - 

- 223 

Eumaeos,  - - 

- 123 

Eumenides,  - 

- 31 

Eumolpos,  - 

110,  113 

Eunomia,  * - 

165,  196 

Euphrosyne,  - 

- 193 

EurOpa,  46,211,248 

Euryale, 

33,  216 

Eurybia,  - - 

- 52 

EurydicS,  - - 

- 297 

EurynornO,  - 

- 198 

Eurystheus, 

219,  225, 

I9QO 

EurytiOn,  - - 

- 232 

Eurytos,  - - 

- 236 

EuterpS,  - - 

- 201 

Fates,  - - - 

- 25 

Fauns,  - - 

- 193 

F elicit  as,  - - 

- 209 

Feronia,  - - 

- 209 

Fidelitas,  - - 

- 209 

Flora,  - - - 

- 209 

Fortitudo , 

- 209 

Furtuna , - - 

• 209 

Fountains,  - 

- 44 

Furies,  - - 

23,  292 

Galataea,  - - 

- 36 

Ganymede,  - 

161,  203 

GanymOd&s, 

161,203 

Ge,  - - - 

- 43 

GelanOr,  - - 

- 213 

Genii,  - - - 

- 183 

Geryon,  - - 

39,  232 

Giants,  - - 

- 41 

Glaucos,  - - 

- 250 

Golden  Apples, 

, 54,  232 

Golden  Fleece, 

266 

Gorgons,  38, 

215,  220 

Graces,  - - 

- 198 

Graeae,  - - - 

33,  216 

Gyes,  - - - 

41,68 

HadOs  - - - 

- 93 

Haem  On,  - - 

41,  287 

Halcyone, 

- 000 

Hamadryades, 

- 42 

Harmonia,  - 

142,  279 

Harpies,  - - 

37,'  100 

Hebe,  - - - 

- 202 

Hecabe  - - 

- 000 

Hecate,  - - 

50,  106 

Heimarmene, 

- 25 

Hei  ia,  - - ‘ 

26C,  29  • 

Heliades,  - - 

- 295 

310 


INDEX 


PAGE 

Halicon,  - - 31,94 

HSlios,  - 49, 106,  295 
Hellanodicae,  - 77 

Hellg,  ---  - 266 
Hellen-  - - - 59 

Hephsestos,  - 154,  158 
HSra,  - - - 70,79 

Heracles,  - - 219,  222 

Heraea,  - - - 82 

Hercules , 58,  214,  222 

Hermes,  - - - 172 

Herse,  - - - - 30 

H&siong,  - - - 235 

Hesperides,  31,  54,  232 
Hestia,  - - - 84 

H:ppocr&n£,  - 94 

Hippodamia,  259, 288 
Hippodromus,  - 95 

Hippolytos,  - 240,  261 
Hippomedon,  - 285 
Honos.  - - - - 209 

HGrae,  - - - - 196 
Hyacinthos,  - - 30 

Hyades,  - - - 52 

Hydra,  - 39,  40,  229 

Hi/ems,  - - - 197 

Hygeia,  - - - 206 

Hvlas,  ....  269 
Hyllos,  - - - 238 

Hymen,  - - - 208 

Hyperion,  - 41, 49 

Hypermnestra,  - 213 
HypsipylS,  - - 286 


Janus , - - 

Japetos,  - 
Iasion,  - - 
Iaso,  - - 
lasos,  - - 
Jason,  - - 
Icarios, 
Icaros,  - - 
Idas,  - - 
Idomeneus, 
Iiaira,  - - 
Inachos,  - 
Indigetes,  - 
Ino,  - - 
16,  - - - 
IobatSs,  - 
Jocasta,  - 
Iolaos, 

Iole,  - - 
Iphiclfcs,  - 
Iphigeneia, 
Iphitos,  - 


- 62,207 

- 41, 52 

- - 59 

- - 206 

- - 47 

- - 264 

- - 244 

- - 240 

- - 263 

- - 253 

- - 263 
44,  45,  58 

- - 212 

- 243,  280 

- .46,  47 

- - 221 
- - 282 

- 264,  275 

- - 236 

- - 225 

- - 291 

- - 236 


PAGE 

Irene,  - - - - 196 

Iris,  - - - 37,  109 

Isis,  - - - 46,  136 

Ism6n6,  - - - 284 

Isthmian  Games,  79,96 
Juno,  - - 62, 68,  79 

Jupiter , - 62,  67,  180 

Jupiter  JEgiochus , 157 
Jupiter  Ammon , 73 

Jupiter  Capitolinus , 73 
Jupiter  Fulminans , 73 
Jupiter  Fulgetra , 73 

Jupiter  Tonans,  73 
Juventas , - - - 204 

Ixion,  - - - - 177 

Kratos,  - - - 52 

Kronos,  - - 41, 60 


Lachesis,  - - - 25 

Laios,  - - - - 281 
Lampetia,  - - 295 
Laodamas,  - - 288 
Lapiths,  - - - 259 
Lares,  - - 184,  186 
Lasthenes,  - - 286 
Latona,  - - 50,  134 
Leimonaides,  - 42 

LSthe,  - - - 100 
Lfitu,  - - - 134,  294 
Leucippe,  - - 244 
Leucippos,  - - 263 
Lcucothea,  - - 280 
LibertaSy  - - - 203 

Libya,  - - - - 213 
Lichas,  - - - 237 
Limniades,  - - 42 

Linus,  - - - - 226 
Luna , - - - 49 

Lupercus , - - - 24 

Lupercalia , - - 24 

Luperci , - - - 24 

Lybia,  - - - - 46 

Lycomedes,  - - 261 
Lycos,  - - 271,281 
Lycurgos,  - 243,  286 
Lynceus,  - - 214,  268 


MachaOn,  - - - 206 
Maenades,  - 247,298 
Maia,  - - - - 172 

Mars,  - - - 140,  180 
Marsyas,  - - 148,  192 
Medeia,  - - - 272 
Medusa,  - - 38  215 
Megaera,  - - - 30 


page 

Megara,  - - - 235 

MeJanippos,  286 

Meiiades,  - - - 42 

Meleager , - - 59,  277 

Meieagros,  - 287,  277 
Melicert&s,  - 97, 2°0 
Melpomen£,  - - 2uQ 
Menelaos,  - - 166,  290 
Menoetios,  52,  54,  267 
Mercurius , 91,  172,  180 
Mestor,  - - - 223 

Metis,  - - - - 68 

Midas,  - - - - 30 

Minerva , 69,  145,  180 

Minos,  - - - 248 

Minotaur,  - - 251,  256 

Minyas,  - - - 244 

Mnemosyne,  - 41, 199 
Moirae,  - - 25,  185 

Momus,  - - - 34 

Morpheus,  - - 33 

Mors,  - - - - 32 

Musagetes,  - - 129 
Muses,  - - - 199 

Mvrtilos,  - - 289 


Naiades,  - - - 42 

Napaeae,  - - - 42 

Narcissos,  - - 30 

Nectar,  - - - 68 

N&leus,  - - 264,  267 

Neinaean  Lion,  39,  228 
Nemesis,  - - - 28 

Nemesia,  - - 29 

Nephele,  - - - 266 

Neptunus , 62,  93,  180 

Nereides,  - - 35 

NSreus,  - - 35, 217 

Nessos,  - - - 236 

Nestor,  - - - 259 

Nike,  - - - - 52 

Nisos,  - - - - 251 

Nox,  - - - - 20 

Nycteis,  - - - 281 

Nycteus,  - - - 281 

Nymphs,  - - 42.  191 

Nysa,  - - - 177, 243 


Oceanides,  - - 43 

Oceanos,  - 35,  43 

Ocypet£,  - - - 37 

CEdipus,  - - 41, 282 
OSneus,  - - 235.  277 
CEnomaos,  - - 288 
Ogyges,  - - - 58 

Olympic  Games,  75 


INDEX, 


311 


PAGE 

Cl, mpes  - - - 45 

OmpLai'  - 177,236 

OpreP^s.  • - 286 

Oicus,  - - - 235 

Oreiades,  - - - 41 

OrestSs,  - - - 291 
Orpheus,  - - 267,  297 
Orthrus,  - - - 39 

Drtygia,  - - - 45 

Palaemon,  - - 97,  280 
Pales,  - - - - 208 
Palladium,  - - 157 

Pallas,  - - - 52,  255 
Pallas-AthenS,  - 146 

Pan,  - - - - 22 

Panacea,  - - - 206 
Panathenae  - - 150 

Panaora,  - - - 56 

Parcce,  - - 25  100 
Paris,  - - - - 166 

Parthenon,  - - 158 

Parthenopaeos,  - 285 
Pasiphae,  - 240,  250 
Patroclos,  - 27,  267 
Pax,  - - - - 209 

Pegasos,  - - - 94 

Peithu,  - - - 253 

Pelagon,  - - - 279 
Peleus,  - - - 36 

Pelias,  - - - 264,  276 

Pelion,  - - - 259 

Pelopidae,  - - - 283 
Pelops,  - - - 288 

Penates , - - 86,  186 

Peneus,  - - - 44 

Pentheus,  - 244,  280 
Perphrddu,  - - 38 

PeriphratSs,  - - 253 
Perseis,  - - - 250 

Perses,  - - 50, 52 

Persephone.  50,99,  171 
Perseus,  - 33,  53,  213 

Phaedra,  - - 250,261 
Phaethon,  - - 294 
Phaettyusa,  - - 295 
Pheione,  - - - 52 

Philemon,  - - 296 
Philoct&tSs,  - - 238 
Phineus,  - - 37,270 
Phlegethon,  - - 100 

Phoebe,  - - 41,50 

Phoebos-Apollo,  121 
Phoenix,  - - 248,  279 

Phorbas,  - - - 282 

PhorcyF.  - - - 38 


Phoroneus, 

. 

TAOE 

- 46 

Phrixos,  - 

_ 

- 266 

Pirithods,  - 

- 

- 259 

Pittheus,  - 

- 

- 253 

Pleiades,  - 

- 

- 52 

Pluto,  - - 

- 

62,  98 

Plutus, 

_ 

- 203 

Podaleirios, 

- 

- 206 

Poe  as,  - - 

- 

- 238 

Pollux , 

- 

- 262 

Polybos, 

- 

- 282 

Polydectds, 

- 

- 214 

Polydeukds, 

- 

- 262 

PolydOros, 

- 

- 280 

Polyhymnia, 

- 

- 202 

Polyneic&s, 

- 

284,  286 

PolyphSmos, 

36,  93 

Polyphontes, 

282,  286 

Pomona,  - 

- 

- 209 

Pontos, 

- 

- 35 

PorphyriOn, 

- 

- 41 

Poseidon,  - 

36,  46,  93 

Priamos,  - 

- 

- 177 

Priapos,  - 

- 

- 193 

Procrustes, 

- 

- 255 

Proetos,  - 

- 

214,  218 

Prometheus, 

- 

52,  54 

Proserpina, 

- 

- 100 

Proteus,  - 

- 

- 204 

Psych&,  - 

- 

- 298 

Pterolaos,  - 

- 

- 223 

Pylades,  - 

- 

- 292 

Pyrrha, 

- 

- 58 

Pythia, 

- 

- 131 

Pythian  Games,  79,132 

Pytho,  - - 

_ 

- 124 

Python,  - 

- 

- 125 

Rhadamanthys 

j,  - 243 

Rhamnus, 

- 

- 29 

Rhea,  - - 

41,60,243 

Rhoecos,  - 

- 

- 42 

Rhoetos,  - 

- 

- 41 

Rivers, 

- 

- 44 

Salmoneus, 

_ 

- 264 

Salmydessus, 

- 270 

Sarpedon, 

- 

27,  249 

Saturn, 

- 

41,60 

Saturnalia, 

- 

- 63 

Satyrs, 

- 

- 193 

Scamandros, 

- 

- 44 

ScirOn, 

. 

- 254 

Scylla,  - - 

- 

251,  274 

seiene,  - 

- 

- 137 

SemelA 

- 

- 242 

FACE 

Semones,  - - - 212 
Sitenos,  - - - 192 
Sinis,  - - - - 254 
Sirens,  - - - 274 
Sisyphos,  102,  220,  264 

Sol, 49 

Somnas,  - - - 32 

Sphinx,  - 39,  40,  283 
SteropSs,  - - - 41 

Sthenelos,  - 219,  224 
Sthei'no,  - - 38.216 
Strophades,  - - 270 
Strophios,  - - 291 
Sjtymphalides,  - 230 
Styx,  - 34,  48,  52,  101 
Sylvanus,  - - - 195 

Symplegades,  - 270 

Tantalos,  102,  288,  300 
Taphians,  - - 223 
Taphios,  - - - 223 
Tartarus,  - - - 99 

Telamon,  - - - 267 
Teleboans,  - - 223 
Telephassa,  - - 278 
Telesphoros,  - 206 
Per  minus,  - - 208 
Terpsichore,  - - 200 
Terra,  - - - 19 

Tethys,  - - 41, 43 

Thalia,  - - 198,  201 
Thallu,  - - - 197 
Thasos,  ---  278 
Thaumas,  - - 37 

Theban  War,  - 285 
Theia,  - - - 41, 49 

Themis,  - - 41,  195 
Thersandros,  - 283 

Theseus,  - - - 253 
Thestias,  - - - 262 
Thetis,  - - 36,  69,  293 
Thoas,  - - - - 286 
Thyestes,  - - 289 
Thyone,  - - - 245 
Tiphys,  - - 271 

Tisiphone,  - 30 

Titans,  - - 41 

Titanides,  - - 41 

Triptolemos,  - - 110 
Triton,  - - - 275 
Tros,  - - - - 203 
Tydeus,  - - 277,  285 
Tyndareos,  - 262,  291 
TyphOeus,  - - 39 

Tvphon,  - - - 125 

Tyro, 264 


312 


INDEX, 


PAGE 

Ulysses,  - - 28,  104 
Urania,  - - 172,  202 

Uranos,  - - - 43 

Venus,  142,  165,  180 
Ver,  - - - 197 

Veritax,  - - - 209 


PA  GE 

Vertumnus,  - - 203 

Vesta,  62,  68,  84,  180 
Vestalia,  - - - 91 

Vestals,  - - - 87 

Vest ib alum,  - - 86 

Victory,  - - 52,209 
Virtus  - - - 209 


pag  a 

Vulcdnus,  - - 158,  18C 

Zelos,  - - - - 52 

Zephyros,  49,  209,  299 
ZStes,  - - - 267 

Zethos,  - - - 281 

Zeua,  - - - - fc? 


PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY. 


In  all  cases  where  a vowel  is  not  marked  long, — thus,  A, — it  is  short, 


ABSYRTOS  .... 

ABYLA 

ACHELOOS  .... 

ACHERON 

ACHERUSIA . . . 

ACHILLES 

ACHILLEUS.. .. 

ACIS 

ACRISIOS 

ACTION 

ACTOR 

ADMETOS 

ADONIS 

•••••• 

A-do'-nis. 

ADRASTOS  . . . . 

iEACOS  

MMk 

J5ETES 

HiGEUS 

JEGIALEUS .... 

( E-ji'-a-lus,  or 
( E-ji-a'-le-us. 

HJGINA 

iEGIS 

^EGISTHOS  .... 

JEGLE ......... 

2 


PRONOUNCING  VOCABULAP.Y. 


ZEGYPTOS 

. E-jip'-tos. 

JENEIAS 

. E-ne'-as. 

^EOLOS  

. E'-o-los. 

HSSACOS  

. Es'-a-kos. 

AESCULAPIUS 

. Es-ku-la'-pi-us. 

HSSON 

. E'-son. 

AESTAS 

. Es'-tas. 

^ETHRA 

. E'-thra. 

AELLO 

. A-el'-lo. 

AGAMEMNON  

. Ag-a-mem'-non. 

AGANIPPE 

. Ag-a-nip'-pe. 

AGAUE  

. A-gaw'-e  (A-gaj 

AGENOR  

. A-je'-nor. 

AGLAIA 

. Ag-la'  i-a. 

AGLAIOPHEME 

. Ag-la-o-fe'-me. 

AGYRTES  

. A-jyr'-tez. 

AIDES  

. A'-i-dez. 

AJAX 

. A'-jax. 

ALOEOS 

. Al-se'-os. 

ALCATHOE 

. Al-kath'-o-e. 

ALCESTIS 

. Al-ses'-tis. 

ALCIMEDE 

. Al-sim'-e-de. 

ALCINOOS 

. Al-sin'-o-os. 

ALCMENA 

. Alk-me'-na. 

ALCYONEUS  

j Al-si'-o-nus,  or 
( Al-si-o'-ne-us. 

ALECTO 

. A-lek'-to. 

ALOEIDS 

. A-lo'-e-ids. 

ALPHEIOS 

. Al-fe'-os. 

ALTHEA 

. Al-the'-a. 

AMALTHEIA 

. Am-al-the'-ya. 

AMAZONES 

. A-maz'-o-nez. 

AMBROSIA 

. Am-bro'-shi-a. 

AMICITIA 

. Am-i-sish'-i-a. 

AMPHIARAOS 

. Am-fi-a-ra'-os. 

PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY. 


AMPHION 

AMPH ITRITE  .... 

AMPHITRYON  . . . 

AMPHYCTYON  .. 

AMULIUS 

AMYCOS 

ANAXOS 

ANCJEOS 

ANCHISES 

ANDROGEOS  .... 

ANDROMACHE  . . . 

ANDROMEDA .... 

ANEMOI 

ANTiEA 

ANTJEOS 

ANTEROS 

ANTIGONE 

ANTIOPE 

APHAREUS 

j Af'-a-rus,  or 
{ Af-a-re'-us. 

APHRODITE 

APOLLO 

ARACHNE 

ARCHEMORUS. . . 

AREIOPAGOS 



. . . A-re-op'-a-gos. 

AREOPE 

ARES 

ARETHUSA 

ARGES  

ARGO 

ARGONAUTS  

ARGOS 

ARGUS 

ARIADNE 

ARION 

4 


PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY. 


ARIST^EOS  . . . 
ARISTIPPE  . . , 

ARTEMIS 

ASCALAPHOS 
ASCLEPIOS . . . 
ASSARACOS . . 
AST  ARTE  .... 

ASTERIA 

ASTERION. . . . 

ASTRJ5A 

ASTR^EOS 
ASTYANAX  . . 
ASTYOCHE  . . . 
ATALANTA. . . 

ATE 

ATHAMAS. . . . 

ATHENA  

ATLANTIDES  . 

ATLAS 

ATREUS 

ATROPOS  .... 

ATTIS 

AUGEAS 

AURORA  

AUTOLICUS  . . 
AUTONOE.  . . . 
AUTUMNUS  . . 
AVERNUS  .... 


BELLEROPHON . . . « 
BELLEROPHONTES 


Ar-IS-TE'  OSi 

Ar-is-tip'-pe. 

Ar'-te-mis. 

As-kal'-a-fos. 

As-kle'-pi-os. 

As-sar'-a-kos. 

As-tar'-te. 

As-te'-ri-a. 

As-te'-ri-on. 

As-tre'-a. 

As-tre'-os. 

As-ti'-a-nax. 

As-ti'-o-ke. 

At-a-lan'-ta. 

A'-te. 

Ath'-a-mas. 

A-the'-na. 

At-lan'-ti-dez. 

At'-las. 

A'-trus,  or  A'-tre-us. 
At'-ro-pos. 

At'-tis. 

Aw'-je-as. 

Aw-ro'-ra. 

Aw-tol'-i-kus. 

Aw-ton'-o-e. 

Aw-tum'-nus. 

A-ver'-nus. 

Bak'-ke. 

Bak-kan'-tez. 

Bak'-kos. 

Baw'-sib. 

Bel-ler'-o-fon. 

Bel-ler-o-fon'-tes. 


BACCPLE 

BACCHANTES 
BACCHOS  .... 
BAUCIS 


PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY. 


5 


BELLONA Bel-lo'-na. 

BELOS Be'-los. 

BIA BI'-a. 

BITON Bi'-ton. 

BCEOTIA Be-o'-shi-a. 

BOREAS Bo'-re-as. 

BRIAREOS Bri-a'-re-os. 

BRISEIS Bri-se'-is. 

BRONTES Bron'-tes. 

BUCOLION Bu-ko'-li-on. 

BUSIRIS Bu-si'-ris. 

OABEIRI Ka-bi'-ri. 

CACUS.. Ka'-kus. 

CADMOS Kad'-mos. 

C ADU CEU S K a-du'-she-us. 

CALAIS  * Kal'-a-is. 

CALCHAS Kal'-kas. 

CALLIDICE Kal-lid'-i-ce. 

CALLIOPE Kal-lP-o-pe. 

C ALLIRRHOE Kal-lir'-ro-e. 

CALPE Kal'-pe. 

CALYBE Kal'-i-be. 

CALYDONIAN  (Chase) Kal-i-do'-ni-an. 

CALYPSO  Ka-lip'-so. 

CAMEN JS Ka-me'-ne. 

CANEPHORES Ka-nef'-o-rez. 

CAPANEUS j Kap'-a-™s>  or 

( Ka-pa'-ne-us. 

CARMENTA Kar-men'-ta. 

CARPO Kar'-po. 

CASSANDRA Kas -san'-dra. 

CASSIOPEIA Kas-si-o-pe'-ya. 

CASTOR Kas'-tor. 

CECROPS Se'-krops. 


6 


PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY. 


CELJENO 

. . Se-le'-no. 

CENEUS 

. . Se'-nus,  or  Se'-ne-us 

CENTAURS 

. . Sen'-tawrs. 

CEPHALOS 

. . Sef'-a-los. 

CEPHEUS 

. . Se'-fus,  or  Se'-fe-us. 

CERBEROS  

. . Ser'-be-ros. 

CERCYON  

. . Ser'-shi-on. 

CERES  

. . Se'-rez. 

CETO 

*' 

. . Se'-to. 

CEYX 

. . Se'-ix. 

CHAOS 

. . Ka'-os. 

CHARITES 

► . Kar'-i-tez. 

CHARON 

, . Ka'-ron. 

CHARYBDIS 

. . Ka-rib'-dis. 

CHEIRON 

, . Ki'-ron. 

CHEVLERA 

, . Ki-me'-ra. 

CHRYSAOR 

. • Kri-sa'-or. 

CHRYSEIS 

, . Kri-se'-is. 

CHRYSIPPOS 

, . Kri-sip'-pos. 

CILIX 

. Si'-Lix. 

CIRCE 

. Sir'-se. 

CmBERON 

, . Si-the'-ron. 

CLEOBIS 

, . Kle'-o-bis. 

CLEOPATRA 

. Kle-o-pa'-tra. 

CLIO 

. Kli'-o. 

CLOTHO 

, . Klo'-tho. 

CLYMENE  

, . Klim'-e-ne. 

CLYTEMNESTRA  . . . 

, . Klit-em-nes'-tra. 

CLYTIA 

. Kli'-shi-a. 

CLYTIOS 

. Kli'-shi-os. 

COCALOS 

. Kok'-a-los. 

COCYTUS  

. Ko-si'-tcts. 

CCELUS  

. Se'-lus. 

CCEOS 

. Se'-os. 

COIOS 

. Ko'-i-os. 

PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY. 


1 


COMPITALIA 

COMUS 

CONNIDOS 

CONSUALIA 

CONSUS 

CORNUCOPIA 

CORYBANTES  

COTTOS 

CREON : 

CRETAN  (Bull) 

CRETHEUS < 

CREUSA 

CRIOS 

CROMEDON 

CROMYONIAN  (Swine) 

CUPIDO 

CURETES 

CYANE^E 

CYBELE 

CYCNOS 

CYCLOPES  

CYPARISSOS 

CYTHERJ3A 

CYZICUS 

Kom-pi-ta'-li-a. 

Ko'-mus. 

Kon'-ni-dos. 

Kon-su-a'-li-a. 

Kon'-sus. 

Kor-nu-ko'-pi-a, 

Kor-i-ban'-tez. 

Kot'-tos. 

Kre'-on. 

Kre'-tan. 

[ Kre'-thus,  or 
! Kre'-the-us. 
Kre-u'-sa. 
Kri'-os. 
Krom'-e-don. 
Krom-i-o  '-n  i-a  n. 
Ku-pi'-do. 
Ku-re'-tez. 
Si-a'-ne-e. 
Sib'-e-le. 
Sik'-nos. 
Sl-KLo'-PEZ. 
SlP-A-RIs'-SOS. 
Sith-e-re'-a. 
Siz'-I-KUS. 

D^EDALOS 

DAEMONS  

DAMASTES 

DANAE  

DAN  AIDES 

DANAOS 

DAPHNE 

DAPHNEPHORIA 

DARDANOS  

Ded'-a-los. 

De'-mons. 

Da-mas'-tez* 

Dan'-a-e. 

Da-na'-i-dez. 

Dan'-a-os. 

Daf'-ne. 

Daf-ne-fo'-ri-a. 

Dar'-da-nos. 

8 


PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY. 


DEIANEIRA 
DEIDAMEIA 
DEINO 

DEIONEUS  . 


De-ya-nP-ra. 

De-id-a-mP-a. 

DP-no. 

De-P-o-nus,  or 
De-i-o'-ne-us. 


DEIPHOBOS  . . 

DELPHI . 

DEMETER 
DEMOGORGON 
DEUCALION . . 

DIA 

DIANA 

DIKE 

DIOCLES 

DIOMEDES  . . . 

DIONE 

DIONYSIA  ... 
DIONYSOS  ... 
DIOSCURI 

DIRCE  

DORIS 

DRYADES 

DRY AS 

DYCTIS 

DYMAS  


De-if'-o-bos. 

Del'-fi. 

De-me'-ter. 

Dem-o-gor'-gon. 

Du-ka'-li-on. 

Di'-a. 

Di-a'-na. 

DP-ke. 

DP-o-klez. 

Di-o-me'-dez. 

Di-o'-ne. 

Di-o-ni'-shi-a. 

Di-o-nP-sos. 

Di-os-ku'-ri. 

Dir'-se. 

Dorris. 

DrP-a-dez. 

DrP-as. 

DiiP-tis. 

Dr -mas. 


ECHIDNA  . . 
ECHION  .... 
EGERIA  .... 
EGYPTOS  .. 
ELECTRA. . . 
ELECTRYON 
ELEUS  


E-kid'-na. 

E-kP-on. 

E-je'-ri-a. 

E-jyp'-tos. 

E-lek'-tra. 

E-lek'-tri-on. 

E^LE-tS. 


ELEUSINIAN  (Mysteries)  ....  El-u-sin'-i-an. 
ELEUSIS E-lu'-sis. 


PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY. 


ELYSIAN  (Fields) 

E-liz  h'-i-  an. 

ENCELADOS 

En-sel'-a-dos. 

ENDYMION 

En-dym'-i-on. 

ENYO 

E-ni'-o. 

EOLUS 

E'-o-lus. 

EOS 

E'-os. 

EOSPHOROS 

E-osf'-o-ros. 

EPAPHOS 

Ep'-a-fos. 

EPHESUS  

Ef'-e-sus. 

EPHIALTES  

E-fi-al'-tez. 

EPIGONES 

E-pig'-o-nez. 

EPIMETHEUS -j 

[ Ep-i-me'-thus,  or 
! Ep-i-me'-the-us. 

EPOPEUS  j 

[ E-po'-pus,  or 
! E-po'-pe-us. 

ERATO 

Er'-a-to. 

EREBOS 

Er'-e-bos. 

ERECTHEUS ' 

j E-rek'-thus,  or 
t E-rek'-the-us. 

ERICHTHONIOS 

Er-ik-tho'-ni-os. 

ERIDANOS 

E-rid'-a-nos. 

ERIGONE 

E-rig'-o-ne. 

ERINNYES 

E-rin'-ni-ez. 

ERIPHYLE 

Er-i-fi'-le. 

ERIS 

E'-ris. 

ERISICHTHON 

Er-i-sik'-thon. 

EROS 

E'-ros. 

ERYMANTHIAN  (Boar) 

Er-I-MAN  '-THI-AN. 

ERYTHEIA 

Er-i-thi'-a. 

ERYX 

E'-rix. 

ETEOCLES 

E-te'-o-klez. 

EUADES 

U'-A-DEZ. 

EUENOS  

U-e'-nos. 

EUERES 

U-e'-rez. 

EUM^EOS 

U-me'-os. 

10 


PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY. 


EUMENIDES 

U-MEN'-I-DEZ. 

EUMOLPOS 

U-mol'-pos. 

EUNOMIA 

U-NO'-MI-A. 

EUPHROSYNE 

U-FROS'-I-NE. 

EUROPA  

U-RO'-PA. 

EUROS 

U'-ROS. 

EURYALE 

U-Rl'-A-LE. 

EURYBIA 

U-rib'-i-a. 

EURYDICE 

U-RID'-I-SE. 

EURYNOME  

U-rin'-o-me. 

EURYSTHEUS 

U-RIS'-THUS. 

EURYTION 

TJ"Rit/-i-on. 

EURYTOS  

U'-RI-TUS. 

EUTERPE  

U-ter'-pe. 

EVANDER  

E-van'-der. 

FAUNS 

Fawns. 

FAUSTULUS 

Faw'-stu-lus. 

FELICITAS 

Fe-lis'-i-tas. 

FERONIA  

Fe-ro/-ni-a. 

FID.ELITAS 

Fi-dei/-i-tas. 

FLORA 

Flo'-ra. 

FORTITUDO 

For-ti-tu'-do. 

FORTUNA 

For-tu'-na. 

GALATJEA 

Gal-a-te'-a. 

GANYMEDE  

Gan-i-me'-de. 

GANYMEDES 

Gan-i-me'-dez, 

GE 

Je. 

GELANOR  

Je-la'-nor. 

GENII 

Je'-ni-i. 

GERYON  

Je'-ri-on. 

GIGON 

Jl'-GON. 

GLAUCOS  

Glaw'-kos. 

GORGONS 

Gor'-gonz. 

GRJBLE 
GYES  . 


PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY. 


11 


Gre-e. 

Jl'-EZ. 


HADES Ha'-dez. 

HADREUS \ Ha'-drus,  or 

( Ha  -DRE-US. 


HJEMON 

HALCYONE 

HAMADRYADES . 

HARMONIA 

HARPIES 

HEBE 

HECABE  

HECATE  

HECATOMPEDON  . . 

HECTOR  

HEIMARMENE 

HELENA 

HELIADES 

HELICON 

HELIOS 

IIELLANODKLE . . . . 

HELLE  

HELLEN  

HEPHJESTOS 

HERA 

HERACLES 

HER^EA 

HERCULES 

HERMAPHRODITOS 

HERMES 

HERSE 

HESIONE 

HESPERIDES 

HESTIA 


He'-mon. 

Hal-si'-o-ne. 

Ham-a-dri'-a-dez. 

Har-mo'-ni-a. 

Har'-pez. 

He'-be. 

Hek'-a-be. 

Hek'-a-te. 

Hek-a-tom'-pe-don. 

Hek'-tor. 

Hi-mar'-me-ne. 

Hel'-e-na, 

He-lT-a-dez. 

Hel'-i-kon. 

He'-li-os. 

He  l-l  a-  nod  '-i-  se. 
Hel'-le. 

Hel'-len. 

He-fes'-tos. 

He'-ra. 

Her'-a-klez. 

He-re'-a. 

Her'-ku-lez. 

Her-maf-ro-di'-tus. 

Her'-mez. 

Her'-se. 

He-si'-o-ne. 

Hes-per'-i-dez. 

Hes'-ti-a. 


12 


PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY. 


HIKETAON 

HILAEIRA  

HIPPOCRENE 

HIPPODAMIA 

HIPPODROMUS 

HIPPOLYTOS 

HIPPOMEDON 

HIPPOMENES 

HONOS 

HOR^E 

HYACINTHOS 

HYADES 

HYDRA  

HYEMS 

HYGEIA 

HYLAS 

HYLJEOS 

HYLLOS 

HYMEN 

HYMETTUS 

HYPERBIUS 

HYPERBOREANS  .... 

HYPERION 

HYPERMNESTRA  . . . . 

HYPSIPYLE  ......... 

JANUS 

JAPETOS 

IASION 

IASO 

JASON  

1ASOS 

ICARIOS 

ICAROS 

IDAOA  

PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY. 


ID^EA I-de'-a. 

IDAS I'-das. 

IDOMENEUS I-dom'-e-nus. 

ILAIRA Il-a-i'-ra. 

ILIA Il'-x-a. 

ILION Il'-i-on. 

ILOS I'-los. 

INACHOS In'-a-kos. 

INDIGETES In-dij'-e-tez. 

INO E-no. 

10 I'-o. 

IOBATES I-ob'-a-tez. 

JOCASTA Jo-kas'-ta. 

IOLAOS I-o-la'-os. 

IOLE I'-o-le. 

IPHICLES If'-i-klez. 

IPIIIGENEIA If-i-je-ni'-a. 

IPHITOS If'-i-tos. 

IRENE I-re'-ne. 

IRIS  I'-ris. 

ISIS I'-sis. 

ISMENE Is-me'-ne. 

ISTHMIAN  (Games) Isth'-mi-an. 

1TYS P-TIS. 

JUNO J&'-no. 

JUPITER  Ju'-px-ter. 

JUVENTAS Ju-ven'-tas. 

IXION Ix-I'-ON. 

KELEOS Ke'-le-os. 

KETO Ke'-to. 

KRATOS Kra'-tos. 

KRONOS Kro'-nos. 


LABDACOS 


Lab'-da-ixos. 


14 


PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY. 


LACHESIS 

LAERTES 

LiESTRY  GONI ANS 

LAIOS 

LAMPETIA 

LAMPOS  

LAOCOON  

LAODAMAS 

LAOMEDON  

LAPITHH3 

LARARIA 

LARENTIA 

LARES  

LASTHENES 

LATONA 

LEDA 

LEIMONIADES 

LERN^EAN  (Hydra) 

LETHE 

LETO  

LEUCIPPE 

LEUCIPPOS 

LEUCOTHEA  

LEUCOTHOE 

LIBERTAS 

LIBYA 

LICHAS 

LIMNIADES 

LIMUS 

LOTUS  (Eaters) 

LUNA 

LTJPERCALIA 

LUPERCI 

LUPERCUS  

LYCOMEDES 

PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY. 


15 


LYCOS Li'-kos. 

LYCURGOS Li-kur'-gos. 

LYNCEUS Lin'-sus,  or  Lin-se'-us. 


MACHAON  . . 
MJENADES  .. 

MAIA 

MARS 

MARSYAS  . . . 

MEDEIA 

MEDUSA  .... 
MEGARA  .... 
MEGJER  A .... 
MEL  ANION  . . 
MELANIPPOS 
MELEAGER . . 
MELEAGROS . 
MELIADES  .. 
MELICERTA  . 
MELICERTES. 
MELPOMENE 
MEMNON 
MENELAOS . . 
MENCETIOS  . . 
MERCURIUS  . 
MEROPE  .... 

MESTOR 

METANEIRA. 

METIS 

MIDAS 

MILETOS 

MILO 

MINERVA  . . . 

MINOS  

MINOTAUR  . . 


Ma-ka'-on. 

Men'-a-dez. 

Ma'-ya. 

Marz. 

Mar'-shi-as. 

Me-de'-a. 

Me-du'-sa. 

Meg'-a-ra. 

Me-je'-ra. 

Me-la'-ni-on. 

Mel-a-nip'-pus. 

Me-le-a'-jer. 

Me-le-a'-gros. 

Me-li'-a-dez. 

Mel-i-ser'-ta. 

Mel-i-ser'-tez. 

Mel-pom'-e-ke. 

Mkm'-non. 

Men-e-la'-os. 

Me-ne'-shi-os. 

Mer-ku'-ri-us. 

Mer'-o-pe. 

Mes'-tor. 

Met-a-ni'-ra. 

Mentis. 

Mi'-das. 

Mi-le'-tos. 

Mi'-lo. 

MI-ner'-va. 

MI'-nos. 

Min'-o-tawr. 


16 


PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY. 


MINYAS 

MNEMOSYNE 

MOIRJE 

MOMUS  

MORPHEUS  . 

MORS 

MUSAGETES  . 
MYRTILOS. . . 


Min'-i-as. 

Ne-mos'-i-ne. 

Moi'-re. 

Mo'-mus. 

Mor'-fus,  or 

Mor'-fe-us. 

Morz. 

Mu-saj'-e-tez. 

Mir'-ti-los. 


NAIADES 

NAPJEJE 

NARCISSOS 

NAUSICAA 

NAUSITHOOS... 

NECTAR  

NELEUS 

NEM^EA 

NEM^EAN  (Lion) 

NEMESIA 

NEMESIS 

NEPHELE 

NEPTUNUS 

NEREIDES 

NEREUS 

NESSOS 

NESTOR 

NIKE 

NIOBE 

N1SOS 

NOTOS 

NOX 

NUMA 

NUM1TOR 

NYCTEIS 


Na-I'-a-dez. 

Na-pe'-e. 

Nar-sis'-sos. 

Naw-sik'-a-a. 

Naw-sith'-o-os. 

Nek'-tar. 

Ne'-lus,  or  Ne'-le-us. 
Ne-me'-a. 

Ne-me'-an. 

Ne-me'-shi-a. 

Nem'-e-sis. 

Nef'-e-le. 

Nep-tu'-nus. 

Ne-re'-i-dez. 

Ne'-rus,  or  Ne'-re-us. 
Nes'-sos. 

Nes'-tor. 

Ni'-ke. 

NI'-o-be. 

Ni'-sos. 

No'-tos. 

Nox. 

Nu'-ma. 

Nu'-mi-tor. 

Nik-te'-is. 


PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY.  17 


NYCTEUS  

NYMPHOLEPSY  

NYSA 

Nik'-tus,  or  Nik'-tk-us. 

NlM-FO-LEp'-SE. 

Nf-SA. 

OCEANIDES  

OCEANOS  

OCYPETE  

ODYSSEUS j 

CEBALUS 

(EDIPUS 

(ENEUS 

(ENOMAOS 

(ENONE 

OGYGES  

OLYMPIC  (Games) 

OLYMPOS  

OMPHALE  

OPHELTES 

ORCIIAMOS 

ORCUS 

OREIADES 

OREITHYIA 

ORESTES 

ORPHEUS 

ORTIIARGES 

ORTHRUS  

ORTYGIA 

OSSA 

OTOS 

0 -she-an'-i-dez. 

O-be'-a-nos. 

O-FIp'-E-TE. 

[ 0-DI8f  BUS,  or 
[ 0-DJ*'-SE-US. 
Eb'-a-lus. 

Ed'-i-pus. 

E'-Nua,  or  & '•vus. 
E-nom'-a  os. 

E-no'-ks!. 

Oj'-i-jez. 

O-lim'-pir. 

O-lim'-pos. 

Om'-fa-le. 

O-fel'-tez. 

Or'-ka-mos. 

Or'-kus. 

O-re'-a-dez. 

Or-i-thi'-ya. 

O-res'-tez. 

Or'-fus,  or  Of  ?*-us. 

Or-thar'-jez 

Or'-thrus. 

Or-tij'-i-a. 

Os'-SA. 

O'-TOS.  m 

PAL^EMON 

PALES  

PALLADIUM  

Pa-le'-mon. 

Pa'-lez. 

Pal-la'-di-um 

PALLAS . Pal'-las. 


18 


PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY, 


PANACEA 

Pan-a-se'-a. 

PANATHENJ3A 

Pa-nath-e-ne'-a. 

PANDION 

Pan-di'-on. 

PANDORA 

Pan-do'-ra. 

PARCAE 

Par'-se. 

PARIS 

Par'-is. 

PARTHENON  

Par'-the-non. 

PARTHEN0PJ20S 

Par-then-o-pe'-os. 

PASIPHAE  

Pa-sif'-a-e. 

PATROCLOS 

Pa-tro'-clos. 

PAX 

Pax. 

PEGASOS 

Peg'-a-sos. 

PEITHO 

PF-THO. 

PELAGON  

Pel'-a-gon. 

PELEUS 

Pe-lus,  or  Pe'-le-us. 

PELT  AS  

Pe'-li-as. 

PELION 

Pe'-li-on. 

PELOPIA G 

Pel-o-pF-a. 

PELOPIDAE 

Pe-lop'-i-de. 

PELOPS  

Pe'-lops. 

PENATES 

Pe-na'-tez. 

PENELOPE  

Pe-nel'-o-pe. 

PENEUS 

Pe-ne'-us/ 

PENTATHLON 

Pen-ta'-thlon. 

PENTHESILEIA 

Pen-the-si-le'-a. 

PENTHEUS j 

[ Pen'-thus,  or 
1 Pen'-the-us. 

PERIPHRATES 

Pe-rif'-ra-tez. 

PERPHREDO  

Per'-fre-do. 

PERSEPHONE 

Per-sef'-o-ne. 

PERSES  

Per'-sez. 

PERSEUS - 

j Per'-sus,  or 
t Per'-se-us. 

PILEACIANS •, 

Fe-a'-shi-ans, 

PELEDRA 

Fe'-dra. 

PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY. 


19 


PHAETHON 

PHAETHUSA  

PHEIONE 

PHEMONOE  

PHILEMON 

PHILOCTETES  

PHILOMELA 

PHINEUS 

PHLEGETIION 

PHOBHiTER 

PH(EBE 

PHCEBOS  (Apollo) 

PHCENICE 

PIKENIX 

PHORBUS 

PHORCYS  

( Fo-ro'-nus,  or 

PIIORONEU^. 

f Fo-ro'-ne-us. 

PIIOTLESJE 

PHRIXOS 

PIRITHOOS 

PITTHEUS 

j Pit '-thus,  or 
( PiT-THjK'-US. 

PLEIADES 

PLUTO 

PLUTUS 

PODALEIRIOS 

PODARKES 

P(EAS 

POLLUX 

POLYBOS  

POLYDECTES 

POLYDEUKES 

POLYDOROS 

POLYHYMNIA 

20 


PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY. 


POLYNEICES 

Pol-i-nP-sez. 

POLYPHEMOS 

Pol-i-fe'-mos. 

POLYPHONTES •. . 

PoL-I-FON'-TEZ. 

POLYXENE 

Po-Lix'-E-  NE. 

POMONA 

Po-mo'-na. 

PONTOS 

Pon'-tos. 

PORPHYRION 

Por-fir'-i-on. 

POSEIDON 

Po-Sl'-DON. 

PRIAMOS 

Pri'-a-mos. 

PRIAPOS 

Pri-a'-pos. 

PROCNE  

Prok'-ne. 

PROCRIS 

Pro '-kris. 

PROCRUSTES 

Pro-krus'-tez. 

PRCETOS 

Prestos. 

PROMETHEUS  j 

[ Pro-me'-thus,  or 

! PrO-ME'-THE-US. 

PROSERPINA 

Pro-ser'-pi-na. 

PROTEUS ' 

[ Pro'-tus,  or 
l Pro'-te-us. 

PSYCHE 

Sl'-KE. 

PTERELAOS  

Ter-e-la'-os. 

PYLADES  

Pil'-a-dez. 

PYRAMUS 

Pir'-a-mus. 

PYRRHA 

Pir'-ra. 

PYRRHUS 

Pir'-rus. 

PYTHIA 

Pith'-i-a. 

PYTHIAN  (Games) 

Pith'-i-an. 

PYTHO 

PI'-THO. 

PYTHON 

Pl'-THON. 

REMUS 

Re'-mus. 

RHADAMANTHYS 

Rad-a-man'*this. 

RHAMNUS  

Ram'-nus. 

RHEA 

Re '-a. 

RHCECOS 

Re '-cos. 

RHCETOS  . 
ROMULUS 


PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY. 


21 


Re'-tos. 

Rom'-u-lus. 


SALII 

SALMAEIS 

SALMONEUS  . 

SARPEDON . . . 

SATURN  

SATURNALIA. 

SATYRS 

SCAMANDROS 

SCIRON 

SOYLLA  

SELENE 


Sa'-li-i. 

Sal-ma'-e-is. 

Sal-mo'-nus,  or 

Sal-mo'-ne-us. 

Sar-pe'-don. 

Sat'-urn. 

Sat-ur-na'-u-a. 

Sa'-tirs. 

Ska-man'-dros. 

Sl'-RON. 

Sil'-la. 

Se-le'-ne. 


SEMELE 

SEMONES.. 

SILENOS 

SIMOIS 

SINIS 

SINON 

SIRENS 

SISYPHOS 

SOMNUS 

SPHINX 

SPHRAGITIAN  (Nymphs) 

STEROPES 

STHEINO 

STHENELEOS 

STROPHADES 

STROPHIOS 

STRYMO 

STYMPHALIDES 

STYX 

SYLVANUS 


Sem'-e-le. 

Se-mo'-nez. 

Si-le'-nos. 

Sim'-o-is. 

Sl'-NIS. 

SI'-NON. 

Sl'-RENS. 

Sis'-I-FOS. 

Som'-nus. 

Sfinx. 

Sfra-gish'-i-an. 

Ster'-o-pez. 

Sthe'-no. 

Sthen-e-le'-os. 

Strof'-a-dez. 

Stro'-fi-os. 

Stri'-mo. 

Stim-fal'-i-dez. 

Stix. 

Sil-va'-nus. 


22 


PIU  >NOUNCING  VOCA BULA BY. 


SYMPLEGADES 

SYRINX 

TALOS  

TANTALOS  

TAPHIOS 

TARTAROS  

TEIRESIAS 

TELAMON 

TELEBOANS  

TELEGONOS 

TELEMACHOS 

TELEPHASSA 

TELESPHORUS 

TEREUS 

TERMINUS  

TERPSICHORE 

TERRA 

TETHYS 

TEUCROS 

THALIA 

T HALLO  

THAMYRIS 

THASOS 

THAUMAS 

THEIA 

The'-ya. 

THELXEIPEIA 

THEMIS 

THERSANDROS 

THERSITES 

THESEUS 

THESTIAS 

THETIS  

THISBE 

THOAS 

PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY. 


23 


THYESTES 

THYONE  

TIPHYS 

TISIPHONE 

TITANIDES 

TITANS 

TITHONES 

TRIPTOLEMOS 

TRITON 

TROAS  

TROILOS 

TYCHON  

TYDEUS 

TYNDAREOS 

TYPHOEUS 

j Ti-fo'-us,  or 
( Ti-fo'-e-us. 

TYRESIAS 

TYRO 

ULYSSES  

URANIA 

URANOS  . . . . , 

YENUS 

VERITAS 

VERTUMNUS 

VESTA 

VIRTUS  

VULCANUS  

ZEARCHUS 

ZELOS 

ZEPHYROS 

ZETES 

ZETHOS 

ZEUS 

1 


•A4|SJ9Ajuf|  ai|j  iuojj  jdssjlusjp  u;  ||nsaj 
Aoui  puo  uojjdd  AjDu;|d;3s;p  joj  suosoaj  ajo 
s>]Ooq  40  6uiuj|japun  puo  'uojjDiijruu  'jjain 

•Mopq  poduiEis  oibq  jsdjD-| 
oqi  ojopq  jo  uo  imvpj  s;i  joj  ojqisuods 
-9J  si  {huo;huj  sxq;  Sui§JBqo  uosjod  oqj. 


✓ 


I 1 


' 


\ 


